Life's Rollercoaster
by middaymoon69
Summary: There are many ups and downs in life. You can rise so high and fall so low, but still, you never expect them when they come.
1. Chapter 1

Olivia walked into the precinct late one morning, swearing under her breath.

"Hey, Benson. You're late."

"Sorry Capt. The pipe in my kitchen exploded. I had to wait for the Super to come and fix it."

"Hey, no wonder you look like you got out of the swimming pool recently." Elliot said, looking up from his desk, noting that his partner's hair was dripping and her shirt was still quite damp.

"Do we have a case?" she asked, opening her locker and pulling out a t-shirt that did not leave little to the imagination, unlike her current one.

"Not yet. Go put your dry clothes on." He smiled and she whacked him lightly on the back of the head as she disappeared into the bathrooms.

Ten minutes later she came out, hanging her wet clothes on a hanger to dry and sat down at her desk.

"Still nothing?"

"No. Munch and Finn are looking at some guy on the subway though."

"The Groper?"

"Yeah."

"Well it will be good to get him off the trains."

"Tell me about it." He said putting his arms above his head and yawning.

"Late night with the kids?" Olivia said smiling and he nodded.

"Yeah, it's my week with them but they go back to Kathy Tomorrow. They're on summer vacation though so they don't remember that I have work in the morning. They want me to play games every night."

"What are they doing while you're here?"

"My brother is taking them to the carnival today."

"I'll bet the twins will love that."

"Yeah… I get them for a full two weeks when term goes back too – Kathy is getting re-married."

"Honeymoon?"

"Yeah. He's a nice guy."

"You know, you have to be one of the most understanding ex-husbands in the history of mankind."

"Hey – we tried and failed at marriage. There is no reason why we can't be friends, especially since we have four kids together."

"Very philosophic." She said and he smiled as Cragen walked up behind him.

"We just caught a homicide." He said and the two detectives stood up, waiting for instructions.

"Where?"

"In central park. A two year old girl." He said softly and their faces fell.

"How?" Olivia said, seeing both her partner and her captain's faces look grave.

"I don't know. You need to get there and figure it out. The parents are on there way down there already."

"She wasn't with them?" Elliot said, curious, though the sad undertones still coursed through his voice.

"She was with her grandparents." Cragen said and nodding, they left the precinct, climbing into the car.

It was a long day down at the park. A huge crowd had gathered around the yellow tape, the public obviously just as shocked at the crime as the police were. The little girl was lying under a sheet, the medical examiner squatting beside her, beckoning the assistant over with the gurney. The little girl had been strangled; the marks around her neck clearly defined against her pale skin and her hands and feet were tied together.

"My baby!" a woman cried and she and the man who was obviously her husband tried to duck under the tape.

"Ma'am?" Olivia said, catching her as she tried to run over to the child.

"Let me go, that's my daughter!" she said again but Olivia held her firmly and she started to cry into her shoulder

"You're Mrs Jasper?" and she nodded into her shoulder, looking over at her partner as he led Mr Jasper over to ID the body. "Mrs Jasper, I am so sorry." She said as she watched Mr Jasper nod in affirmation. He ran back over to his wife and she fell out of Olivia's arms into his. Olivia walked back to Elliot and they stood silently watching the parents grieve the loss of their child.

"We should talk to the grand parents." Olivia said, knowing that Elliot was struggling with moving forward.

"Yeah." He choked and they walked over to the elderly couple.

"Mr and Mrs Davies?" Olivia said and their tear stained faces looked up at them.

"Yes?"

"Did you see what happened to your grand-daughter?"

"No. I was just taking Lucy to the bathroom and Ed here fell over and I went to help him get up. When I went back into the bathroom, she was gone. We found the policeman and told him but he couldn't find her either. Then…" and the old lady burst into tears.

"She was your daughter's child?" and Mr Davies nodded.

"We're very sorry for your loss Mr and Mrs Davies." Elliot said in a strained voice and he directed them back towards their family.

Driving back to the precinct, they were both understandably quiet, not even commenting to the other about the case.

"Did you get any feeling about the case?" Cragen said as they got back to the squad room.

"Only that who ever did this ought to get the needle." Elliot said, throwing his note book down on his desk.

"So not accidental?"

"Only if it's an accident to tie up two year olds and strangle them." Olivia said and Munch and Fin who were now back, let their jaws drop.

"A two year old?" and Olivia nodded.

"We spoke to the grandparents. I don't think they're involved." She said sitting down as Elliot walked to the corner, pulling out his cell and calling his children. "The fact is we don't have anything at the moment. We're waiting on forensics."

"How are the parents doing?" Munch asked, looking over at Elliot who was talking to his own kids, a frown on his face as he jovially questioned how the ferries wheel was.

"They're a wreck." She said sitting down and staring at Cragen. "Even if they did have something to say, they are too emotional too. I'd give it twenty four hours at least."

"OK then. Benson, take your partner home. He looks like he needs a stiff drink. Munch, Finn, I want you on this one too – there's going to be a lot of media coverage on this. You two get to wait for the autopsy result." And nodding, Olivia stood up, walking over to Elliot.


	2. Chapter 2

"I got to go honey. Yeah, I won't be home late. OK, I'll ask her. I'll get pizza for dinner. Bye."

"Let me guess… Kathleen?" and he nodded; amazed at how she always managed to guess which of his kids he was talking to. "Cragen said we're done for the day, and to come in tomorrow when we have the forensics. Come on. Let's get those pizzas for your brood. I'll drop you home." She said, grabbing their coats and ushering him out the door.

"Kath wants to know if you are going to come have dinner with us." He said as she climbed into the sedan's driver's seat. "She says you promised that you would come round while they were on vacation."

"Oh, that's right – the girls wanted me to show them how I did that trick with the wine glass."

"Have dinner with us tonight. It's not like it's a four course meal – its pizza."

"All right then." She said, as they drove, pulling up at the pizza place a block away from Elliot's house.

"Back in five." He said getting out and she waited patiently, listening to the radio, watching him pay for the stack of pizzas and head back to the car.

"Got enough?" she said, looking at the stack he put in the back seat and he smiled.

"Dickie has grown a foot in the last year – he's a bottomless pit at the moment."

"How old are the twins now?" she said as they pulled away again and headed towards his street.

"Ten."

"Wow. I keep forgetting. That makes it six years we have been partners."

"I guess it has been." He said as they pulled into his drive way. They climbed out and walked up to the door.

"Daddy!" Liz yelled opening the door before he could even get his keys out and she hugged him around the waist, her head hitting the bottom of the pizza tire.

"Hey sweetie, how was the carnival?"

"Lots of fun!" she smiled as she ducked out from under the boxes, seeing Olivia for the first time. "Aunty Liv!" she cried out and this time, the both heard the stampede of the other Stabler children running to greet their 'aunt'.

Olivia had been known as 'Aunty Liv' for as long as she knew with Elliot's kids. It seemed that the day she became Elliot's partner, she was involved in his family's life. It wasn't uncommon for her to be invited to their Christmas celebrations, birthdays, or thanksgivings especially after her mother died – her only family. She was the fun aunt in Elliot's kids' lives, a novelty every time she stopped round and they loved her for it.

"Hello. Your dad said you wanted me to come over." She said and they nodded, leading her inside, Elliot abandoned on the door step.

"Hey, what about me?" Elliot said and rolling her eyes, Maureen came back and took some of the boxes, putting them on the table.

Elliot sat back and smiled as he watched his partner captivate his kids' attention by showing them how to make the wine glasses chime.

"See, you just put some water in them, and you wet your finger and twirl it around the top." She said, demonstrating and they watched in awe as she started to play a tune with their glasses all lined up in front of her.

It was nearing midnight when Elliot finally sent his kids to bed, but not before they watched a couple of rounds of Disney movies for the twins' benefit.

"You're so good with my kids." Elliot said as together they picked up the empty pizza boxes and threw them into the bin.

"They're great kids." She said simply, taking another sip of the wine Elliot had offered her about an hour ago.

"They're the reason I do this job." He said sitting down on the couch once the pizza was cleared up and taking a gulp of his own drink. "They're the reason that every day I look in the eye of a rapist of child killer and make myself sick trying to sympathise with trying to get a confession."

"I understand. And I admire it." Olivia said, sitting on the other side of the couch, turning slightly to face him.

"You know, no offence Liv, but you can't really understand it till you have kids of your own. Seeing that infant today… She looked a lot like Maureen when she was a baby. It really makes you want to catch the bastards more." He said

"Hey, we'll get him. The whole city is looking for answers and we'll find them." She said.

They sat in silence, occasionally sipping their drinks for a while, neither breaking the silence.

"You know, I'd better head home." Olivia said as the hourly news report flashed across the TV screen and they realised it was one in the morning.

"You can crash here if you want seeing as a) I need to get to work some how in the morning and my car is back at the station and b) you won't get home before two, leaving you with very little sleep."

"If you don't mind, I'll crash on the couch." She yawned, nodding, their comfort shining through.

"I'd give you a bed, but the kids are here." He said as he climbed the stairs, coming back down a minute later with a large t-shirt and sweat pants, as well as a pillow and blanket.

"Thank you." She said, getting up and kissing his cheek lightly as she walked into the bathroom to change. He had disappeared upstairs when she got back and exhausted, she crawled under the blanket and drifted off to sleep.


	3. Chapter 3

The next morning, Olivia woke up early to see Liz and Dickie sitting in front of her on the floor watching cartoons.

"Hey Aunty Liv. Daddy said he is making breakfast when you wake up." Liz said, turning around as she heard her yawn and glance down at her watch. It was just after six in the morning and she got up and spied a clean shirt beside yesterday's clothes. Smiling she picked it up and walked into the bathroom to change, noting the sewn on name tag that read 'Maureen Stabler'. Once she was dressed she headed into the kitchen to see a sight that still managed to surprise her each time she saw it.

Elliot was turning pieces of bacon in a fry pan as coffee trickled into the pot.

"Morning." She said and he turned around making her laugh at the apron he was wearing.

"Sleep well?" he said, turning back to the bacon and eggs and putting a few on plates.

"Yeah, thanks." She said, accepting one of the plates and putting toast on the other two which she knew were for the twins in the other room. "You know, it's always a spectacle when I see you cook."

"Why is it that the feminists always assert they can do a man's job but only they can do the traditional domestic duties?"

"Never said that. I have no objection at all if a man wants to do the dishes. The sight of you in an apron though always manages to make me laugh though." She said and he threw the tea-towel at her. "You can't cook anything else though, can you?"

"Nah. The girls like cooking though so I let them when they're here." He said and she picked up a pair of forks and put the twins' plates at the table, just as her phone rang.

"Benson." She said, answering and walking into the kitchen. "Yeah, got it…. I'll let him know… Do you want us to make the arrest? … OK, we'll see you at the precinct." She said hanging up.

"Who was…"

"Cragen. They have a suspect in custody. Forensics worked through the night. They found the belt used to strangle her with epitheliales on the ends. Got a hit on the DNA – Fin and Munch are going to bring the guy in and Cragen wants us to interrogate." She said, putting the egg and bacon between the two pieces of toast and a serviette around the bottom like a sandwich. She did the same with Elliot's plate as he ran upstairs to get his badge and gun, stopping only to rouse his eldest and inform her that she was babysitting till their mother picked them up.

"Ready?" Olivia said, pulling on her jacket and Elliot kissed the twins good bye, pointing to their breakfast and they left together. Twenty minutes later they were standing on the outside of the glass, watching the small twitchy man squirm in his seat, a lawyer beside him.

"How do you think we can crack him?" Elliot said turning to Cragen, Wong and Olivia as the man continued to fidget.

"I spoke to him. The man obviously does not like children. Try and empathise with that, but don't outright say that you do not like children. Ask leading question. From the conversation I had with him, he is eager to please and doesn't listen to his lawyer." Wong said.

"Is he sane?"

"He suffers from a misunderstood interpretation of what is morally right but that is not a clinical diagnosis. He has no mental issue that would have clouded his judgement though. He clearly told me that killing was wrong." and Olivia nodded, turning to face Elliot.

"I don't think you should do this." She said and Cragen nodded his head in agreement.

"Why?" he asked. "Its one thing to have a misogynist and use you to bait him but I'm not a kid."

"Elliot, you have four children – you'll never pull off being a child hater." Cragen said and Olivia walked alone into the room. "Relax – I'll go in if she needs help." He said and Elliot sat down in the chair, settling in to watch his partner.

"Mr Casp?" Olivia said sitting down opening the file and reading the first few lines of the top page.

"Yes?" he said rocking backwards and forward

"We found your belt. The one you used to strangle Lucy Jasper with." She said, sitting back in the chair.

"My client reserves the right to remain silent and as such- "

"It wasn't a person. It was a child."

"That may be so," Olivia said, her stomach clenching at what she was saying, "But isn't killing still wrong."

"Its not murder." He said and his lawyer put his hand out in front of him.

"Detective please – Walt, please, if you want me to help you, shut your mouth."

"Why did you tie the kid up?" she said, the bile rising in her throat.

"It hit me. I had to stop it." He said and before Olivia even opened her mouth for another question, he continued. "I had to stop it screaming so I put my belt around its neck. It stoped and it went quiet."

"That's enough detective. I'd like a word with my client, alone please." And Olivia stood up.

"I think I have all I need to give to the DA." She said and she turned and walked back into the viewing room.

"That was faster than I thought." Cragen said, pulling the tape out of the recorder and walking out of the room with Wong. "Good work Benson." He said leaving Olivia and Elliot alone, watching the events in the room.

"That made me feel sick." She said, turning to Elliot and he could see that she was a little green.

"Well, the bastard gets the needle, I'm sure of it. He admitted it and shows no remorse." He said, squeezing her shoulder slightly and she gave him a weak smile.

"Yeah, one more piece of shit off the street." She said sitting down at her desk as Alex walked in.

"You got him?" she said and they nodded.

"Cragen has the confession on tape and the guy is in interrogation." Elliot said directing her into his office and she nodded walking in. "You did well Liv." He said once they were alone and she looked up from Casp's file.

"I don't like doing that Elliot. It's like every time you pretend to be a woman hater and have to publicly insult me to get the suspect's trust."

"I hate doing that." He admitted, thinking back to the last time he had to do that. They had their suspect sitting in the precinct and had staged an incident involving spilt coffee. He had exploded at her, yelling in her face as she spilt the cup down his shirt, staining the white oxford and while she was smiling inside her skills as an actor reflected the fear they wanted their suspect to see.

"I would never have been able to pull it off though" he said and she nodded, leaning back in her chair.

"Well, let's hope neither of us has to do that again for a long time." Olivia said getting up and grabbing the clothes that she had come to work in yesterday and heading to the bathrooms to change, returning to give him back Maureen's shirt. The rest of the day followed smoothly, thankfully without any more reports and that night Elliot returned the favour, dropping Olivia back at home.

"Do you want a drink, after the shift we just had?" she said as the car stopped and he shrugged his shoulders, putting the car in park.

"Why not." He said and he climbed out of the car, following her up to her apartment.


	4. Chapter 4

Opening the door they walked inside and she laid her jacket across the back of the chair, indicating that he should do the same as she pulled two beers out of her fridge, pulling her phone out and ringing for Thai food from the menu on the fridge door.

"Your kids are back with Kathy tonight?" she said, moments later, taking the lids off the beers and he nodded.

"Yeah, she has them for the next two weeks so they can enjoy all the pre-wedding celebrations before they go on their cruise."

"Are you going to the wedding?" and he nodded.

"I'm giving her away actually, since her parents are dead."

"From one husband to the next – very possessive." She laughed, handing him one of the bottles.

"That's what the kids think" and they tapped their bottles together.

"Have you dated anyone since you split up?" she said as they sat down and he shook his head. "In two years, you haven't dated anyone?" she said slightly shocked and he shook his head again, the blush rising up his neck. "Why not?"

"According to Kathy, I already have a surrogate wife."

"Really?" she said laughing slightly

"Yeah, you." And she choked slightly on her beer, putting it down on the coffee table as she tucked her feet beneath her.

"How did she put that together?"

"She reckons that even while I was still married, that she was the wife I slept with and you were the wife I talked to."

"We're partners."

"That's what I kept telling her. You know, before we realised that we simply weren't right for each other, she accused me of having an affair with you."

"We never…"

"I know that and you know that, but she didn't believe me at the time. She's still convinced that now that I'm single, you and I will…"

"The only thing you still fundamentally disagree on?" she said and he nodded.

"Don't get me wrong Liv, I love you, but like a sister." He said, avoiding her eyes.

"Same." She said, finishing the rest of her beer and getting up for a new one. "You?" and she gestured to the fridge and he nodded.

"What about you Liv, since we are delving into the realm of the private life tonight. When was your last date?" he said, taking the fresh beer as she flicked on the television, finding a basket ball game.

"You mean when was the last night I wasn't at the precinct after midnight or being forced home by you or Cragen? A while ago." She said.

"Hey, I usually managed to get home by seven – not twelve."

"Yeah that's because I covered your sorry ass." She said smiling as she settled back into the couch, both of them watching the basket ball game.

An hour later and third beer each, Olivia got up again and threw the bottles into the bin, turning to walk back to Elliot who had his feet up on the coffee table, yelling at the TV as the last two minutes came into play.

"No… no… Pass the bloody ball!" he cried as Olivia sat down, both of them on tenterhooks as they saw one of the players shoot. Elliot groaned as full time sounded, knowing his team had lost and he stood up, and disappearing into the bathroom.

"Bad luck." She said as Elliot came out of the bathroom, a disappointed look on his face.

"Yeah. I never back a winner." He grumbled and without warning, he tripped over a chair leg hitting the table as he fell to the ground.

"Shit, Elliot, are you OK?"

"Yeah." He said sitting up. "I'm fine."

"You're not – you're bleeding." And she lightly touched the cut on his cheek. He winced and she pulled him to his feet, directing him back over to the couch and sitting him down.

"Stupid chair." He muttered, as Olivia reached for a small first aid kit from above her fridge and walked back over to him.

"Sit still." She said, turning her face back to her and dabbed his cheek bone with a wet cloth, wiping the trickle of blood away. She held his face with one hand and dabbed at it with the other before gently placing a bandage over the cut.

"Hurt much?" she asked, her face still close to his.

"Not bad." He replied. "Teaches me to look out for your chairs though." He said with a slight smile.

"Sorry."

"It's not your fault that I don't look where I'm going."

"No its not." She smiled and he mimicked the action she had done only a moment ago – placing his hand on her cheek.

"Thank you for patching me up though." And he kissed the opposite cheek.

He pulled back but rested his forehead against hers, his hand not moving and Olivia felt her own sharp intake of breath and the warmth of his hand. She looked up at him and saw his warm blue eyes stare back at her as though seeing her suddenly in a whole new way. Elliot saw her for what she was – not the detective, his partner, but the beautiful woman that she was and had always been. She leaned into his hand and felt his thumb caress her skin, his warm breath mingling with hers there on the sofa. Without warning or reason he leaned in again and Olivia felt his lips against hers, applying soft pressure in the sweet kiss. He pulled away after a minute and Olivia looked at him stunned for a minute, the realisation of what he had done, not having sunk in.

"Liv, I-" But she leaned back into him, resealing their lips.

His hand dropped from her cheek and wrapped around her neck, pulling her close to him, the simple light kiss evolving into one with much for fire and passion. His tongue pressed for entry and she let him in, her own hands winding through his short crop of hair. They broke apart after a minute or two, breathing hard, neither of them knowing what to do next.

"That was not like kissing my brother." Olivia said with a slight smile and Elliot nodded.

"No, it wasn't."

"Why-"

"I lied before."

"What?"

"I do love you Liv, like I said before, but since I've been divorced, I've felt differently about you."

"Different?"

"You can't tell me that you didn't notice our relationship change after Kathy and I split up."

"Yeah, I did. We'd have dinner together more often and you would actually talk to me even more."

"I've fallen in love with you Liv. Beyond what I should. You're my partner and I know I shouldn't but god, Liv, I love you." He said and she let him embrace her, looking down at her face.

"Kiss me again?" she said with a smile and he complied.

He ran his fingers through her hair, deepening the kiss and Olivia shifted on the couch so that she was practically in his lap. Her head fell backwards as he released her lips and began pressing hot kisses on her neck making her moan. She pulled his head up and crashed her mouth back onto his, feeling his arms wrap around her waist, pulling her closer, making them fall down onto the couch.

"Love you too." She managed between kisses and Olivia scrambled atop him. She felt his hands creep up under the hem of her shirt a few moments later and she sat up, making his hands fall away.


	5. Chapter 5

Climbing up off the couch, Olivia took the first aid kit into the kitchen and rested her hands on the bench. Elliot sat up and he could almost here the thoughts that were going through her head. She was worried about their friendship and his family and their partnership, weighing up everything that would happen if she let herself go.

"Liv?" he said getting up and walking around behind her.

"What are we doing Elliot?" she said and she turned around, leaning against the bench, seeing him close to her, feeling his presence against her.

"Liv?" he said again, trying to get her to vocalise her fears.

"You are right, we shouldn't be doing this – you're my partner and you have your kids to think about."

"I know. But I also know to take hold of something good when it comes along. I can't believe I waited this long to see it."

"Elliot, we could get in so much trouble." She said feeling his arms wrap around her waist and she held his arms in place.

"You're right." He said and he dropped his arms, taking a step back from her and turning away.

She didn't know what was running through her head but she was staring at the man in front of her and knew she couldn't use her head. Her heart was crying out for him and she grabbed his tie and pulled him back towards her, seeking out his lips. The alcohol they had had hadn't made them drunk but their inhibitions were definitely lowered and Olivia didn't object this time as she felt his hands at the hem of her shirt. He started kissing up her jaw and nibbled on her ear lobe making her whimper slightly, pulling his shirt out his pants.

"This is wrong… but so right." She said as she felt his tongue flick behind her ear and she melted against him. He picked her up under her butt, and squeezing it lightly, he dropped her on the bench.

Olivia wrapped her legs around his waist and pulled his face back down to hers, kissing him hotly as she worked at the buttons on his shirt. It was half open when his hands slipped higher under her shirt and he grazed the underside of her breasts making her gasp into their kiss. Her fingers worked furiously, getting the rest of the buttons undone and pushing it off his shoulders, running her hands up and down his bare chest. He broke the kiss and she looked, disappointed at him till she realises he was pulling her t-shirt up over her head and she lifted her arms up to ease the process. Her arms fell back down and found Elliot's shoulders as he kissed her neck, his hands roaming over her stomach, creeping higher and higher till they were cupping their breasts.

"So wrong." She moaned, leaning back slightly as he leered above her, sucking gently on her pulse point. "So right…" and she pulled him by his belt towards her.

"Liv!" he growled into her neck, feeling his arousal grow as her fingers lingered on his belt, her dexterous fingers creeping under the very top of his pants.

"Oh god!" she said, feeling his hardness against the inside of her thigh and she tightened her legs around his waist, lifting herself up off the counter, wrapping herself around him. He carried her through to her bedroom – the only other door apart from the bathroom and roughly tossed her on her bed.

Her eyes were dark with desire in the light that flooded the room and she pulled him back down on top of her, affixing their lips as he ran his hands over her breasts again making her arch into his touch. He reached behind her undoing the clasp of her bra and she yanked the scraps of lace from her body, moaning audibly as he flicked his thumbs over her nipples.

"Elliot, please!" she said, arching into his hands and she flipped them, straddling his hips. Leaning down, she kissed him, wriggling down and sitting down on his knees. Smiling slyly, she undid his belt and pulled it off, reaching again for his button and fly. She managed to get them undone but no sooner had she done so, he flipped them over again, taking control. Her eyes fluttered closed as he kissed her wetly, their tongues duelling with each other and he lightly let his fingers trail down the sides of her waist and undid the buttons on her trousers, pulling them clean off her legs. She gasped at the action and he attacked her neck, trailing a path of hot kisses down her body.

She cried out his name when his lips connected with one of her nipples and she pressed his head into her chest as he suckled her, his hands creeping up her thighs, making her tremble. He swapped sides and he felt her shake beneath him, her desire rising high in her body. His hand dipped between her legs and he could feel her soaked panties and it made him even harder at the thought.

"You this wet for me?" he said in a low seductive voice and she grabbed his shoulders, taking the control back. Flipping them back over again she pushed his pants down to his knees and he kicked them off the rest of the way, leaving them both very exposed to each other.

Tentatively, she trailed her fingers over his chest, working her way down and she cupped him through his boxers. Suddenly she understood why he was so cocky all the time as she caressed him, watching his eyes flutter closed as she felt his length. There was no denying it, especially as she pulled his boxers down, that he had a lot to be arrogant about.

"You this hard for me?" she said, pulling his boxers clean away and climbing back up to sit just above his groin and swirling her hips slightly. He hissed at the earlier reference to his comment and pulled her back down into a kiss, sitting up and wrapping her legs around his waist.

"I want you in me Stabler." She growled and he threw her back down on the bed, kissing her fiercely.

Elliot smirked as he broke the kiss and kissed down her body again, stopping as he reached her navel and sliding completely off the bed.

"Elliot?" Olivia said, sitting up and looking around for him but she felt his hands on her feet before she had even finished a glance around the room. He kissed her calves, working his way up and she quivered with anticipation. She gasped as he reached the insides of her thighs, kissing all the way up to her hip, purposefully avoiding her core.

"Elliot!" she breathed, needing the release and finally, he kissed her there, through her panties and she cried out in surprise. He pulled the scrap of material away, bringing it up to his face and inhaling her alluring sent before tossing them in the corner. She took hold of his hand and pushed it between her legs, begging him to touch her and he looked down into her eyes smiling as he saw that animalistic desire rising through her veins.

"You like this, do you?" he said as he gently stroked her and she nodded vigorously, her eyes fluttering closed in pleasure. "Tell me."

"Yes!" she breathed and he picked up his pace, letting his free hand trail up and down her body.

"You want more Liv?" he asked, his thumb lightly flicking over her clit and she gasped, her eyes snapping open.

"God yes!" she cried but she whimpered as he pulled back his hand briefly. "Elliot, what the fuck… oh god YES!" she cried as he pushed a finger inside her and she fell limply back on the bed, arching her hips in pleasure.

"You like that, do you?" he said and he thrust another finger inside her making her hips buck up off the bed. He pumped his fingers in and out, watching her thrash in the sheets, the overwhelming pleasure he gave her pulling her to new heights.

"Elliot! Yes, oh fuck, yes!" she cried and her walls tightened around his hand as she temporarily blacked out.

"You looked so sexy then." He said as she came to but she didn't say a word. She pulled him down into a kiss and he responded eagerly, his cock, pressing hard into her thigh.

"Please, don't make me wait." She begged and his desire over rode his shock at the sight of her begging him.

"You have a condom?" he said in a breath and she gestured to the draw of the night stand. Mutely he reached in and grabbed one, donning it in under five seconds and he climbed back on top of her.

"Sure?" he said and she nodded, kissing him passionately. She hooked a leg around his waist and before she could protest at his delay, he thrust himself inside her.

"Elliot!" she cried into his mouth, and he held himself still, letting her adjust to his size. She opened her eyes a moment later and he saw that the normal warm brown ones had turned black with desire. He took it as his signal to move and, pulling himself out and thrusting back into her making her scream his name in pleasure. She wrapped one of her legs around his waist and Elliot pulled the other under his arm, burying himself deeper into her core, her eyes squeezing tight, fighting the oncoming explosion.

"Open your eyes." he said, ceasing his movements momentarily. She forced them open and he swooped a kiss down of her as he thrust into her again making her buck.

"Come for me." Elliot ordered, thrusting roughly into her again, his own release on the edge. He could see that Olivia was trying to fight it, wanting it to last and he moved his hand down to tickle her clit, pulling her to the brink of destruction.

"Elliot!" she cried as he pushed himself inside her with one last movement and she fell off the cliff Elliot had brought her to, bringing him with her.


	6. Chapter 6

They didn't know when they drifted off to sleep but Olivia's alarm blared into their ears come six am. Her hand reached out and hit the clock, but she couldn't help but notice the warm body her fore arm came into contact with as well.

"Morning." Elliot said and she opened her eyes reluctantly, a smile on her face.

"Hey." She said, letting her arm rest over his chest.

"You get up this early every morning?"

"I usually run." She said, resting her head in the crook of his shoulder as her wrapped his arm tightly around her. "Wont need to this morning though; we got enough exercise last night."

"I meant what I said last night." He said and she propped her head up on his chest, looking at him.

"What?"

"That I love you. I meant it."

"So did I." and she kissed him lightly.

"They're going to know, aren't they." He said as he traced circles on the small of her back.

"Know?" Olivia said still in a daze from last night.

"Know that something has changed between us." And she sat up, pulling the sheet up with her.

"We should have thought this through." And she lent back against the wall, watching him sit up and pull his boxers back on.

"What time do we have to be at the station?"

"Eight." She breathed and he pulled her back down on top of him, running his hands up and down her back.

"Please tell me that this isn't a one time thing." He said and she smiled, resting her head in the crook of his shoulder.

"How can it be – I don't want to let this go."

"You are right though – we could both get in a lot of trouble."

"Do you think we could keep it hidden – I don't want to loose you as my partner." She asked and he kissed the top of her head.

"I wont tell if you don't." and she crawled up, kissing him passionately.

"You should go." She said and he looked up at her curiously. "Unlike you, I don't have kids off whom you can borrow clothes like I did. So, how about I meet you at the precinct and when we next get the opportunity to be alone, I promise I'll make it up to you." He smiled, kissing her again and he got up, pulling his trousers on.

"You right to get into work?"

"Yeah, I'll take the subway." She said, standing up and pulling a robe on over her naked figure. He watched her as her milky white skin was covered with the dark satin and wrapped his arms around her waist, kissing her with as much fire as he could muster.

Before she could even take another breath, he disappeared out the door. Olivia leaned back against the wall, watching him pick up his shirt and tie, pulling them both on and with a quick smile back at her, he left the apartment. She could feel butterflies in her stomach – something she hadn't felt since she was a teenager and she lightly walked into the bathroom, turning on the shower and stepping under the water. She climbed out ten minutes later and quickly dressed when she realised she only had half an hour to get to work and she redoubled her efforts to get ready, running out the door.


	7. Chapter 7

Elliot was already at his desk when she arrived about four weeks after that night and he smiled as she walked over to him, handing him a coffee. He had wined her and dined her in that time and yet neither of them dared to progress beyond the goodnight kiss after that fateful night. They were scared of what would happen if anyone found out what they were doing, not only because of the repercussions it would have in their professional lives, but also because Elliot's kids still didn't know what was happening. While they had stayed with Elliot, Olivia had made a conscious effort to visit them, especially in the days after their mother's wedding and it led to many late nights of twister and monopoly. Still though, she could sense that Maureen perhaps was beginning to read their body language, seeing that they were more than friends. At the moment though, they were Benson and Stabler and it was the comfortable routine they were happy to play with.

"How come you two always bring each other coffee but you never bring me any?" Munch demanded as she sat down, savouring the real coffee.

"Because Elliot is my partner John and you are jus the guy in the next desk whining about the only thing he has left." She said sweetly and the squad room burst into laughter. Munch grumbled a slight smile still on his face though and he reached for the low grade precinct coffee.

"BENSON! STABLER! – My office, now!" Cragen barked as he walked into the room, turning abruptly and walking in to his private retreat.

"What is it?" Olivia said as they followed him into the office.

"Close the door." And frowning slightly, Elliot complied.

"What's up?" he said and they sat down in the chairs opposite the desk, both looking expectantly at him.

"Las Angles PD put out a call to all New York SVU teams. They have a serial killer who has been targeting married couples. He kills them, strips them and poses them together on their bed."

"So why are you telling us?" Olivia asked, crossing her legs and leaning back in her chair.

"I volunteered you two for an undercover op the LAPD want to run, assuming that neither of you object. They sent me the papers this morning."

"How long for? You know I have my kids to think about here." Elliot said

"Two weeks tops. Would you both be OK with doing this? You'd have to behave as a married couple, but no two partners are closer than you two."

"I think we can manage." Olivia said and she turned to face Elliot who was nodding.

"Good." Cragen said, handing them a large envelope. "Your plane leaves in three hours and your ID's are in there. LA has the rest of the information, and I'll see you in a fortnight." He finished and they stood to leave as he opened his mouth again. "Elliot, Olivia-" and they turned back to look at him. "Good Luck" and they left the office.

"See you in a couple of weeks" Olivia said as she picked up her coat, Elliot doing the same and Munch and Finn looked up at them intrigued.

"Ask Cragen." Elliot said and he held the door open for Olivia as they left the room together.

"What was that all about?" Finn said as he and Munch watched the two detectives walk away.


	8. Chapter 8

"I'll only be five minutes if you want to wait and then we can swing by your place to get a bag before heading to the airport." Elliot said and Olivia nodded as they climbed into the car and pulled away from the kerb. Ten minutes later they pulled up at his house and she followed him inside. There was a noise in the living room and instinctively, they both put their hands to their sides where the cool touch of a gun met their touch.

"Maureen!" Elliot said and he dropped his stance, seeing his eldest child flipping through a magazine on the couch. "What are you doing here?"

"Dad? Aunty Liv?" she said looking up from her magazine and putting it down.

"What are you doing here Mo?" he said again and she smiled.

"Relax Daddy – I finished work early at Dairy Queen, and mom is doing lunch with her future in-laws at home and didn't know I would be there, so I came here. I figured it was quiet."

"Right." He said rolling his eyes. "Listen, Liv and I have been put on assignment. I can't say where but it won't be for too long. Give the others a kiss from me?" and she nodded, watching her father run quickly up the stairs to pack.

"You really can't tell me anything?" Maureen asked, turning to Olivia and she shook her head.

"Sorry, but you know how it is – this isn't your father's first assignment."

"Why are both of you going?" she asked and Olivia sighed in resignation.

"Promise you won't collapse in shock?" and at Maureen's nod, she continued. "We have to pretend to be married." The young girl burst into laughter, a few tears leaking down her face as the giggles kept on coming. "Promise me you won't tell anyone else that detail?" she said and despite the laughter, she nodded, watching her father come down the stairs.

"Ready?" she said and he nodded, adjusting the duffel bag on his shoulder. He kissed Maureen on the top of the head, guiding his partner back out the door.

"You know, we won't have to hide anything for the next two weeks, in fact, we will be obligated to demonstrate our feelings." Elliot said as they pulled out of his drive way and the butterflies started again in Olivia's stomach. She smiled and let her hand fall into his lap, gently massaging his thigh. He squirmed slightly and jerked the steering wheel, making her laugh and he pulled her hand away.

"Do you want me to crash?" he said as they turned a corner and Olivia leaned close to him, whispering into his ear.

"Into me." She said in a low voice and he shivered in anticipation as they pulled into her street. He followed her up into her apartment, noting that the evidence of last nights escapades had been cleaned up. Following her into her bedroom, he wrapped his arms around her, holding her close as she opened draws and the doors of her wardrobe, pulling clothes out and throwing them on her bed.

"How long do we have?" he said, pressing himself up against her, kissing the back of her neck and she gasped, feeling his length pressed into her back.

"Not long enough… but the flight is four hours long." She breathed, turning in his arms to kiss him fully. He smiled and she ducked out from his embrace, pulling a suitcase out from under her bed and throwing the clothes inside it, blushing as Elliot handed her a pair of lace underwear that had slipped through her fingers.

It took them ten minutes for her to finish packing and they sat down together on the couch, opening the envelope Cragen had given them. There were three rings inside and they fell with a slight 'tap' onto the coffee table between them.

"Well I suppose these two are meant for me." Olivia said, picking up an engagement ring and simple gold wedding band, slipping them onto her hand, handing Elliot the third, larger gold band.

"It says here that we should hide our IDs in out bags with our weapons but we are to assume our identities from here." He said, reading through the material.

"I'll hang onto my credit cards and stuff though. I can say it's just my maiden name."

"Sure." He said, taking all his cards out of his wallet, slipping the new ID in.

"Olivia Jackson." She said, glancing at the new driver's licence and she opened her purse, putting it in her wallet, along with the other documents they were to read on the plane.

"Just give me five more minutes, OK?" she said and Elliot glanced at his watch as she disappeared into her bedroom again.

"The plane leaves in just over an hour." He called through the wall, and she mumbled something back in response though he could not make out the words. A moment or so later she came back out and Elliot's jaw dropped slightly as he saw her looking more feminine than ever. She had changed into a simple knee length red dress with a low neckline and had a white cotton jacket over her shoulders.

"What? It's June – LA will be quite hot." She said, seeing him eye her up and down.

"You're beautiful Liv." He said, walking over to her, kissing her lightly and she blushed, her hands reaching behind his head to deepen it. "Liv, we have to go." And nodding, she looked around for her suitcase and saw that it was already in his hand. Smiling, she picked up her purse and they walked down to the car, knowing that these next two weeks, they could savour their time together.


	9. Chapter 9

"Are you on your honeymoon?" a stewardess said as she passed out glasses of water towards the end of the flight.

"How did you guess?" Elliot said as a sleeping Olivia curled further into his arms.

"She has that newly wed smile on her face and you are also looking very happy sir." The woman said, smiling as she looked down at the pair.

"Six years I lead her around in circles and she finally gets me to make an honest woman out of her." He smiled too, taking the glass she offered him, stroking Olivia's hair as she slept. The steward walked on but Olivia roused slightly in his arms and she cracked open an eye to see him staring down at her.

"Bragging about me in my sleep?" she said, taking his water and sipping from it.

"Why wouldn't I?" he said and she sat up, kissing him delicately.

"How long did I sleep?" she asked, stretching her arms above her head and shivering slightly in the cold from the air conditioning.

"Almost three and a half hours – we'll be landing in about ten minutes."

"Oh, honey – you never got to join the mile high club." She smirked, whispering in his ear and he blushed.

"There's always the return trip." And it was her turn to blush.

"Sorry I fell asleep on you."

"Don't worry about it." He smiled, tapping the end of her nose and she laughed softly.

The plane landed a few minutes later and he squeezed her hand slightly only to let go as they walked off and into the arrivals hall. Olivia felt the loss of warmth and looked around for him, only to notice that he was getting their bags from the carousel and she went to stand behind him. He found their bags and turning around they saw a grey haired man standing with a sign that said "Jackson's."

"Must be for us." Olivia said and they walked over to him.

"You must be the Jackson's. Elliot and Olivia?" and they nodded, letting the man take them outside, into a black car. No sooner had the door closed; he turned around to face the two of them in the back seat.

"Detectives, I'm Detective Tiles; your liaison here in LA."

"Nice to meet you." Olivia said as they pulled out of the parking spot and headed along the free way.

"What did your captain tell you about this guy."

"Only that he's killing couples and posing them post mortem. Do you have any more details for us?" Elliot asked

"He targets people from out of town – so you need to stick to being out of towners. There has been three honey mooners, and six couples on holiday only, but they all stayed at the same hotel"

"How does he kill them?"

"Gunshot to the head. He cleans them of any excess blood as well before posing them."

"Do you have a suspect in mind?" Olivia asked and they saw their guide nod from the front seat.

"The concierge. He hasn't left us anything to work with though so that's where you come in."

"Well, we'll do out best." She said.

"I'll tell you this now – we have had two undercover teams fail because they weren't convincing enough.

"Oh, don't worry about that, Elliot is gay so I don't mind acting with him." Olivia smiled through the lie and his eyes temporarily widened, glancing over at her before resigning to the falsity.

"So was one of our teams – they still didn't manage to pull it off." Tiles said, glancing back at them in the mirror as they turned off the road and into the main strip that lined the beach.

"I'll pretend she's Tom Cruise." Elliot said and the driver nodded, half in agreement as he turned into a five star hotel.

"You'll find more information in your room – none of the victims were found in there's so we'll turn your's into a command post – everything you need inside."

"Thanks." Olivia said and they pulled up at the hotel.

"Here -" Tiles said, handing Elliot a cell phone. "We'll call you on this phone if we have information but other wise, we have decided not to contact you – it will be too suspicious. I'm your only liaison, so if you need me, my number is programmed in under Uncle T. Good luck detectives." and nodding, they got out. A bellman took their bags from them and Elliot entwined his fingers with Olivia's as they walked into the hotel.

"Good afternoon, Sir and Madame, and welcome to the Weston Hotel. How can I be of service to you today." The receptionist said as they walked over to the desk.

"I believe we have a booking under Jackson?" Elliot said and the man nodded.

"Ah yes, your friends have already checked you in and paid for your room. We have the keys here for you." and he handed the pair to them.

"Thankyou." Olivia said and they took the electronic cards. "What is the room number?"

"Oh, I am sorry Madame, 1321." he said and smiling they walked over to the elevator, the bell man following them. He handed them their bags at the door and with a bow, he left.

"Wow." She said as they walked into the suite and found that it resembled Olivia's apartment, only the grandeur was evident. "Must be LA paying again."

"I'll say." Elliot said, putting their bags down and walking over to the small table where there was a fruit basket and thick envelope. He handed it to her and she opened it up, papers and cards falling out of it.

"Credit cards." she said, looking at a few and seeing that they were inscribed with their new identities.

"What's the paper work on?"

"It's the case files of the other murders so we can familiarise ourselves with the killer's type, things he looks out for, etc."

"Well, we can go over this all later." he said and she looked over at him curiously.

"Why?"

"There's been something that I have been hanging out to do all day." and he pulled the files out of her hands and dropped them on the table, wrapping his arms around her waist. With a smile on his face, he lowered his lips to hers and she smiled broadly, her own arms snaking around his neck.

She parted her lips and let his pushing tongue inside, the two sparing as he picked her up, sitting her on the edge of the couch that was to the side. His hands travelled north and ran through her hair as she pulled him closer and after a few breathless minutes they broke apart.

"Good quick thinking with the gay comment." he said and she laughed slightly, her hands dropping to his waist, holding him close.

"I'm Tom Cruise am I honey?" she said and he kissed the top of her head.

"First star I could think of." and he took her hand, helping her off the couch. "Have I told you how hot you look in that dress?" he said and she blushed, her cheeks matching the colour of her dress. "Because if I didn't have as much self control as I do, I would have torn it off you and ravaged you hours ago."

"Well, if you wait till tonight, I'll let you take it off me." she said in a sultry voice and he choked slightly, pulling his tie over his head and undoing the top few buttons. "We have half an hour before dinner, so why don't we go through these files and then after we eat food, you can eat me." she said and he visibly hardened, walking as far away from her as possible, knowing that she made him yearn to touch her.

"Right, um, yes – let's do that." And he sat down at the table, the hard wood covering his harder problem and Olivia smiled, taking a seat herself and began to read the file.


	10. Chapter 10

Later that night, Elliot led Olivia down to the hotel restaurant where the friendly waiter led them to a table.

"I feel under dressed." Olivia said, pulling her shawl tighter around her shoulders as they looked around the five star restaurant.

"You look gorgeous." He said and she smiled, moving round in the booth to lean into his arms. She closed her eyes briefly, absorbing the feel of him with every other sense and she felt his arms tense around her and her lids snapped open.

"What is it honey?" she asked, sitting up and facing him.

"Don't turn around but the concierge is watching us through the door." And he saw her eyes widen, knowing that their attempts at being the couple were thwarted by work. Mutely, she picked up a butter knife and laid it against her purse on the table, angling it so that she could see what he could.

"Creep." She said, and Elliot smiled, resting his head against hers before whispering back.

"Yeah. Let's go back up to the room now, see if he follows." And catching the hint, Olivia stood up, letting her hand brush against Elliot's face and whispered to the waiter, something about room service.

One eye still on the concierge, Elliot scrambled to his feet and followed her over to the elevators, snaking his arms around her waist and at the same time, watching their suspect in the mirror surface of the lift doors.

"Do you think he really is our killer?" Olivia whispered, leaning her head back against his shoulder.

"I don't know. I think it all depends on if he follows us up or not. Ring Tiles when we get into the lift." He said, kissing the top of her head and she nodded minutely, pulling the phone out as the doors opened and they stepped inside. Even as the doors closed on them, they could see the oily man still watching them and a slight shiver coursed through her spine.

"I won't let him touch you." Elliot said and she smiled, turning to briefly kiss him as the doors finally closed. She dialled the number and pressing the phone to her ear, she heard the familiar voice of their liaison in her ear.

"Tiles."

"Jackson here. The Concierge has been watching us quite intently. Do you think he did that with the other victims?"

"Yeah, we do. Looks like he's taken the bait. Good work and in under eight hours too…"

"How long were the other couples here before they were killed?"

"A week, give or take a day, so if this is our guy, he'll watch you till then. Try and get something more concrete on him and we'll make an arrest."

"Got it." Olivia said and without waiting for niceties, she hung up, just as the doors to their floor opened.


	11. Chapter 11

"According to Tiles, he'll watch us for a week before acting." She said as they closed the door to their room.

"Does this mean that now that we are in our room, we can go back to being Olivia and Elliot instead of the two detectives who are undercover?"

"Yes." She purred and he pulled her into a tight embrace, laying his lips firmly across hers. They were barely inside the door and Elliot lifted her up, slamming her against the wall, his hands trailing up her dress as she pulled him by the neck, deepening their kiss. She moaned into his mouth at the contact and yanked at his collar, struggling to get as close as possible and he squeezed her ass, pulling her away from the support of the wall. Squealing in pleasure, Olivia fell against him as he carried her into the bedroom, throwing her unceremoniously onto the mattress before climbing atop her.

"No." Elliot said as she tried to pull her dress over her head, sheathing herself of the cumbersome article. "You promised that I could pull it off you." And she smiled, remembering her words from earlier that day.

Lazily, she raised her arms above her head and he slipped his hands under the red skirt, his fingers leaving a fiery trail as he slowly tickled her thighs, working his way towards her hips. Olivia squirmed and fidgeted under his touch, the colour rising in her face and she whimpered as his fingers grazed her sides, pulling her dress up with him. In one movement, he tore it from her body, forcing her upright and he caught her before she fell back, sealing his lips across hers. Much more gently than she had expected, he laid her back down after a moment and straddled her, staring down at the beauty beneath him. She blushed and tried to cover herself with her hands but he caught her wrists and held them back above her head.

"Why would you try to cover up something so beautiful?" he asked, watching the pallor of her cheeks deepen. "Why would you be embarrassed by your own breath taking body Liv?" and he kissed the side of her neck, trailing his fiery lips down her collar bone.

"Elliot!" she gasped as she felt his lips continue their journey south to the valley between her breasts.

"What?" He said, looking up at her with a smile, his hands gently cupping her breasts through the lace and resting his forehead momentarily against hers. "Do you like me kissing you?" and he dipped his head back down suckle one of her breasts through her bra.

"God yes!" she breathed and he swapped sides, feeling her hands yank his shirt out of his trousers and tried to pull it over his head. It caught on his neck and he sat up roughly, pulling it off and throwing it in the same direction as the dress before bending back down over Olivia's flushed body and trailing a hand down her skin. Her skin flushed red as his fingers grazed her and she grabbed his wrist, pulling it away and back down into a kiss.

Elliot released her lips after a moment and they trailed down to her neck, sucking on her neck, making her whimper, feeling his hands roaming all over her body. It was too much to handle and Olivia took charge, flipping him over and straddling his waist. He growled at the loss of control but his protests turned to groans of desire as she cupped him through his trousers, feeling his warm arousal in the palm of her hand.

"Liv!" he choked and she smiled, undoing the belt and buttons of his pants, pulling them over the noticeable strain along with his boxers, sitting back on his knees, locking him in place. She reached out tentatively and stroked him, watching his eyes flutter closed and his hips buck off the mattress.

"Stop it." He said after a few torturous moments and Olivia obeyed his request, letting her hands rest on his hips.

"Did I do something wrong?"

"No." and he reached up, grabbing her shoulders and flipping them over again so that she was pinned beneath his body. "I want to come inside you." And she flushed a deep red as he kissed her deeply again.

Olivia arched her back and undid the clasp of her bra as Elliot rolled her underwear down her legs, the journey taking miles down her endless legs as he kicked off his own trousers.

"Kiss me?" she pleaded and he lunged back on top of her, running his fingers through her hair, both of them savouring the heat and contact of their skin against one another.

"Condom?" he groaned as he felt her knee rise between his legs, feeling his shaft rise and pulsate at her touch.

"I started taking the pill again." She breathed and without waiting another moment he sheathed himself inside her, both of them groaning in release at the contact. Olivia held him still inside her, both of them relishing in their self imposed chastity and Elliot kissed her sweetly, cupping her face with his hands.

"I love you Liv." He said and she leaned up to kiss him again, rolling her hips, forcing him to move.

He rested his head against her forehead, pulling himself out and thrusting back in a minute later, feeling her whimper against his shoulder at the pleasure. Each time he thrust into her she moaned in pleasure, the real intimacy of their love making coming forth opposed to the raw intense sexuality they shared the first night. Elliot watched her face, how each time he pulled out, her eyes displayed the displeasure and each time he pushed himself back in, the ecstasy was evident.

"Faster!" she breathed after a few minutes and he wrapped her legs around his waist, picking up his pace and reaching down between them to tickle her clit, knowing his own release was close.

"Oh God!" Olivia cried a minute later and she arched into him, forcing him further into her, hitting her G-spot as stars erupted behind her eyelids.

"I love you Liv." Elliot said again and he emptied his load inside, collapsing in a sweaty heap beside her.

"Wow." She said after a few breathless minutes, pulling the sheet over them so that they didn't get cold. "You know, I love you too."

"I am so lucky to have you." And he brushed his hand up and down her bare back, kissing the top of her head.

"Likewise." And she curled up into him, wrapping his arms around her body.

"This is nice."

"Nice?"

"Just lying here, together. You and me." He said and she smiled, resting her head against his shoulder.

"I love you." She said and her eyes fluttered closed, sleep creeping towards the present as she yawned.

"Tired babe?" and she nodded. "Go to sleep honey." And he pulled her tighter into her arms as both of them let drowsiness overcome them.


	12. Chapter 12

The sun peaked through the curtains the next morning and Elliot stirred, the warmth of his partner in his arms, holding him still.

"You're watching me sleep Stabler." She said, her eyes still closed and he smiled, tilting her head up to kiss her delicately.

"How could you tell?"

"You'd never understand how a woman's mind works." And she opened her eyes, gazing into Elliot's brilliant blue.

"What time is it?" and Olivia rolled over, tugging the sheet with her to gaze at the clock.

"11am."

"That explains why I'm hungry." And he kissed the back of her neck, making her squirm – he climbed out of bed and walked around the side to collect his boxers, Olivia smiling at the view.

"Honey, there's a letter here." Elliot said as he walked into the living room where there was a note on the table.

"Can you read it?" she called, pulling a shirt on and walking out to him.

"_Dear Mr and Mrs Jackson,_

_The Hotel congratulates you on your recent marriage and wishes you all the happiness that comes from it. Please accept our complementary gift of a free couple's spa treatment in our hotel facilities at your convenience. _

_ We wish you all the best and our congratulations again,_

_The staff at Hotel Weston_."

"Do you think it's from the Concierge?" she asked and he nodded.

"It has that feel, of a man trying to please, just like a concierge."

"I'll ring Tiles, let him know what we have. Why don't you go have a shower and I might join you in there…" she smiled, their memories trailing back to last night and he smiled, obeying her command.

"Tiles."

"Jackson." Olivia said as she replaced the note Elliot had read on the table "Elliot and I got a letter this morning from the hotel staff. We both think it could be from the concierge."

"Did either of you read it?"

"It was a free spa treatment. We both touched it, but minimally – you might be able to get prints."

"OK. I'll be there in ten minutes. Don't leave the room." And he hung up, leaving Olivia standing with an absent phone to her ear. Quickly, she darted back into the bedroom, trying to remove any evidence of their escapades.

"Elliot!" she called, sticking her head into the bathroom and his head poked out of the curtain hopefully. "Tiles will be here in a few minutes" and he nodded, sticking his head back under the water. Olivia hastily pulled on a pair of sweatpants and a t-shirt, absentmindedly running her hands through her hair to try and twist the knots into their rightful place. A minute later there was a knock on the door and Olivia closed the door to the bedroom, seeing through the spy hole that Tiles had arrived.

"That was quick." She commented as he stepped inside, pulling on a pair of gloves.

"I was in the area, visiting my daughter."

"You have a daughter?"

"Yeah – she's 22 now. Do you have kids?" he asked as he put the letter in an evidence bag and slipped it into his jacket.

"No, but my partner has four and they're consider me an aunty."

"How old?"

"Seventeen, fourteen, and ten year old twins." She said as Elliot came out of the bedroom, his hair still wet.

"Right, now that you're both here – the concierge's name is Keith Preston, and we found letters like these in the rooms of the other honeymooners and similar offers of tokens in the rooms of the others. It looks like he has really taken the bait."

"Looks like we have something between us that you other plants didn't."

"Well, by the look of you two, it's because you don't have to fake anything." And Olivia's jaw dropped. "I promise I won't tell your captain if you get this guy… knew you couldn't be gay." He said nodding to Elliot and he rolled his eyes.

"What do you think our next move should be?" he asked and they all sat down around the table.

"Play it like you're on vacation during the day – our suspect is the night concierge so you can relax till eight pm."

"Do you want us to make a point of going out at night so he sees us?" Olivia asked and he nodded.

"As much as you can – we're willing to fund the expenses."

"No complaints there." Olivia said, standing up to turn on the coffee pot, leaning against the bench.

"Listen, I have to go, but if you get any other notes or messages, call me – and don't use that voucher." Tiles said standing up, Elliot doing the same.

"We'll call you Tomorrow night with any updates then." He said and nodding, the elderly detective left the room.


	13. Chapter 13

Still slightly embarrassed at being caught, Olivia disappeared into the bathroom to shower once Tiles left and sadly washed away the pleasure of the night before as Elliot ordered them up breakfast. It had only just arrived when she stepped out and Olivia pulled on a pair of shorts and tank.

"What did you order?" she asked as he put the tray on the table.

"You're favourite." He said and she kissed him delicately, lifting the lid to reveal the blueberry pancakes.

"So what would you like to do today since we don't have to work till dark?"

"I want to see you in a bikini." Elliot said and she flushed a deep red, his hands snaking around her waist, holding her close.

"You are a bad, bad man." She said, slapping his hand lightly but he just squeezed her tightly. "Well, let's eat then and afterwards we can go down to the pool."

They ate silently together their feet talking as they tapped against each other's and sharing a knowing smile. Elliot watched her as she ate the syrup she had drizzled over them, dripping down her chin and he reached out gently to wipe it away.

"Liv, why did we wait to do this?"

"What?"

"This - us."

"You were married, and we are still partners…"

"It doesn't matter now though, does it?" he asked and she shook her head, taking the last bite of her breakfast and standing up, walking around behind him.

"I don't care anymore that we could get in trouble for being together. I love you El." And she threaded her fingers through his hair, resting her head on the top of his.

"I love you too dear" and he stood up, turning around to kiss her passionately.

Olivia slid out of his arms a few minutes later – breathless and ran into the bedroom, throwing his swimming trunks out the door and closing it to change. He chuckled, obeying her command to change and waited patiently for her to come out, pulling some towels from the self next to the door.

"Ready?" she said after a few minutes and he turned around, sucking in his breath.

"You look… hot." He said looking at her up and down, making her blush deeply. The deep blue two pieces made her alabaster skin glow and she felt as though Elliot was peeling away her skin as his eyes trailed up past her matching sarong to her stomach, past her breasts to her face where the pink tinge lingered.

"Are you going to keep you're eyes fixated on me all day?"

"Would you want them to be any where else?" and she laughed, taking a towel from him and, pausing only to tuck their room key in her shoe, led him out the door.

Olivia lay down on one of the chairs by the pool and Elliot sat down at her hip, his hands trailing over her back, gently massaging her and she moaned at his touch. The whole world seemed to melt away, just the two of them lying there in the sun, bathing in the warmth of each other.

"You two must be on your honey moon." A waiter said as he walked over too them at around three in the afternoon with drinks for each of them, his eyes inadvertently trailing over her glorious figure.

"Hmm?" Olivia said looking up.

"The two of you together – you must be on your honey moon."

"We are." Elliot said and the man nodded, seeing him possessively wrap his arm around her before walking off.

"Do you not like anyone else looking at me?"

"Look, but don't touch." He smiled, kissing her gently.


	14. Chapter 14

For five days, they kept up that routine – waking up late and spending the day down by the pool or beach before heading to work – making a conscious effort to ask the concierge where they should go so that he knew their where about.

"What do you think we should do tonight?" Olivia asked as they came up from the pool early that afternoon as the weather turned cool.

"We could go use a show or something." Elliot said, wrapping his arms around her waist, holding her close.

"You know, I want to stay in, just for tonight." And he smiled, kissing the back of her neck.

"Well, I'll head down stairs then and get us some dinner and meet you back up here in fifteen minutes?"

"I'm in the mood for pasta." She smiled, walking towards the bathroom to rinse the oily combination of sunscreen and chlorine off her skin.

Five minutes later, she came out of the bathroom, throwing on a pair of shorts and a t-shirt, looking around for any sign of Elliot but finding none. She sat down on the bed, pulling her novel towards her and was flipping through the pages but ten minutes later, a noise in the lounge made her put the book down.

"Elliot? Is that you?" she called, getting up off the covers and tentatively opening the door. "Elliot?" but the world went dark as she felt a sharp blow to the back of her head.

"Hey, Liv?" Elliot called as he came up to the room a few minutes later, setting the tray down on the table. "Liv?" he called again, eyeing the partially open door. He could see that she was lying face down on the bed and his blood ran cold. A pair of feet walked past the door and Elliot ducked to the side of it as the concierge came out and looked around.

"Oh god…" he breathed, seeing the gun he wielded and sinking back into the shadows.

"Come out, come out where ever you are." He called, walking around the room, trying to find him. "I wouldn't want your wife to die without seeing you, one last time." And he screwed a silencer onto his gun.

He could barely muster a coherent thought – all he knew was that the love of his life was unconscious in the bedroom and that unless he did something soon, thew would both be dead. As fast as he could while the man's back was turned, Elliot snuck into the bedroom, closing and locking the door behind him.

"Liv, Liv, come on!" he called, tapping the sides of her face gently and feeling for a pulse. He could feel life beating beneath her skin but she was definitely out.

"Not going to come out and play?" the oily voice sounded from outside the door and Elliot pulled Olivia off the bed, pushing her unconscious body under the bed and out of sight. He pulled their phone out and dialled for police, leaving it open on the bed as he ducked to the side of the door, reaching for his own weapon in the suitcase and cocking it.

No sooner had he made he sound, the tell tale sound of bullets flying through the door into the mattress greeted his ears.

"Shit" he muttered, seeing the holes in the door and he flung it open, his gun pointed at him.

"Where's your pretty wife gone?"

"Put the gun down."

"You are not going to make it out of here alive Mr Jackson, and I will kill her."

"I'm a cop Mr Preston - Put the gun DOWN!" Elliot cried again, stepping out of the room, his gun still drawn. There was a knock at the door and the concierge turned around as the police battered at the door.

"Mr Peterson – come out now or we're coming in!" Tiles voice rang out.

"I'd rather die." And he turned back to Elliot, his fingers beginning to squeeze the trigger.


	15. Chapter 15

Three loud bangs and a pair of loud thuds echoed around the room and the hotel door banged open.

"I'm a cop!" Elliot called from the floor, looking at the blood trickling from his shoulder as one of the SWAT members checked the pulse of Peterson.

"Stabler?" Tiles called but he brushed him off.

"Just the shoulder. He knocked out Olivia. I hid her under the bed." And he stumbled to his feet, blood trickling from his shoulder and moved as fast as he could to where his partner still lay. He pulled her out, tapping her face again, and she opened her eyes slightly.

"Liv… thank god!" he cried, pushing her back down as she tried to sit up.

"Elliot – he was here, he, OH MY GOD – What did he do to you?" she demanded, overpowering him and sitting up, grabbing a shirt and pushing it against his shoulder.

"I'm fine." And he pulled her into a hug with his good arm. "He's dead." And she let out a shaking breath against his chest.

"Stabler, Benson." Tiles said and they looked up, remembering that they were amidst a chaotic scene. "The paramedics need to take a look at you."

"Right, yeah." And Olivia let the waiting medic pull her to her feet as the other bent down to look at the wound in Elliot's shoulder.

"Miss? Are you injured?" the medic said and she shook her head, the room suddenly starting to spin.

"I found her unconscious. Bastard probably whacked her over the head." Elliot said from the floor and the medic, looked crossly over at her.

"Back of my head." And she soon felt an icepack pressed against it. Tears streamed down her face as she watched Elliot lowered to the floor amidst the stamped of people and his shirt ripped open to examine the wound. "Sir, you are going to need to come in to hospital. Your partner though should be fine."

"No, I'll be fine. I'm sure it just grazed me." He said, trying to sit up but the medic and two other officers held him down.

"Stabler, there's a bullet in your shoulder." Tiles said with a slight smile and he helped put the objecting man onto the gurney.

"I'm going with him." Olivia said and she followed the procession out of the hotel and into the ambulance.

"Detective, you have to lie still or you are going to do permanent damage to that shoulder of yours." The paramedic said, trying to keep him still.

"I don't need to be babied." He groaned, trying to sit up.

"Let me." Olivia said and she bent down whispering something in his ear. Elliot stopped moving immediately.

"What did you say to him?" the man who was trying to tend to his wound said.

"Does it matter?" Olivia blushed slightly and he chuckled, applying a fresh patch of gauze to the wound.

They wouldn't let Olivia into the room where they took Elliot as their cover was blown and neither could use their alias to be together so she sat down in the waiting room, anxiously waiting for news. Silently, she pulled out her cell phone and absentmindedly dialled.

"Cragen."

"Captain, its Liv." She said softly and despite the distance, he could tell there was something wrong.

"What's happened?"

"Elliot was shot." She said shortly and a few tears rolled down her face.

"Is he OK?" and she heard the desperation in her captain's voice.

"It was the shoulder. Perp shot him, Elliot shot and killed back." She sniffed, wiping her face with a tissue.

"Are you OK?" he asked, slightly calmer but still on edge.

"I was knocked out, but the paramedics cleared me." She said softly, her hand trailing over the sizable bump on the back of her head. "We'll come home as soon as Elliot's cleared."

"Give him my best Liv." He said in a fatherly tone and she chocked slightly, hanging up.

"Detective?" a nurse said a few minutes later and Olivia looked up at her smiling face. "Your partner is going to be just fine. He's asking for you." And she led her into the cubicle.

"Elliot…" she said, sitting down beside his bed.

"I'm fine. They pulled it out here." He said, sitting up straighter in the bed, his arm adjusting in the sling. She couldn't speak, a few tears spilling down her face as she stared at him and Elliot pulled his good arm around her and kissed the top of her head.

"You OK?" he asked gently and she looked up sharply at him.

"Me? You're the one who got shot." And she moved her chair closer to him, resting her head in his lap.

"I called Cragen. He said to give you his best."

"Did they tell you when I can leave here?" and she shook her head, sitting up as Tiles came into the room.

"Stabler – how are you doing?" he asked, resting his hands on the edge of the bed.

"I'm fine."

"Benson?"

"Better than he is." She said, nodding towards Elliot. "Case closed?"

"We'll need both of you to make a statement, but it can wait till morning. Thank you both. I was beginning to think we'd never catch this guy."

"Detective Stabler?" the doctor said, walking in, seeing the three of them talking.

"We'll see you in the morning then." Olivia said and Tiles nodded, walking out.

"Detective, your friend will have to leave." The doctor said but Elliot shook his head.

"She can stay."

"Olivia Benson." She said shaking the doctor's hand. "I'm his partner." And he nodded.

"Well, Detective, the bullet lodged in the deltoid muscle and we extracted it with minimal tearing but you will need physiotherapy for a few weeks. I recommend that you avoid active duty for a few weeks."

"I'll see to it that our captain puts him on desk duty then." And Elliot rolled his eyes at Olivia's comment.

"When can I get out of here?"

"You can go in the morning, provided you do as I say when you leave." And he nodded eager to get out of the hospital.

"OK and he swung his legs over the edge of the bed as a nurse came in with a wheel chair to take him to an overnight room.

"Watch it!" Olivia said and she and the doctor eased him off the bed and into the chair. "Elliot, I'll call your kids for you, let them know what's happened." And she left the cubicle.

She walked outside the building and pulled her phone out again.

"Hi, Kathy? It's Olivia Benson here."

"Olivia, how are you?"

"I'm fine Kathy, listen, I think you should know something…"

"What is it?"

"You know that Elliot couldn't take the kids this weekend, well, we've been on an undercover assignment in LA."

"Has something happened to Elliot?"

"He was shot," and she heard Kathy's sharp intake of breath "But he's OK – it was the shoulder."

"You want me to tell our children?"

"It's probably fair that they know what's happened." And she could almost hear Kathy nodding on the other end.

"OK, yeah, I'll tell them. When are you coming home?"

"Probably tomorrow night. If it's alright with you, I think he'd like to see them when he gets home…"

"Of course. I'll bring them over day after Tomorrow – they can have the day with him."

"Thanks Kathy, I know he'd appreciate it."

"He didn't ask you to call?"

"I just told him I was as they wheeled him up to a room."

"You know him really well, don't you." But Olivia stayed silent.

"I'll call tomorrow when we leave." She said and with the casual niceties, she hung up.


	16. Chapter 16

The next day, late in the afternoon, Elliot was discharged from the hospital with his arm still in a sling and after stopping at the LAPD office to give a statement and picking up their luggage, the pair of them headed back to the airport, ready to return to New York.

"Your kids are coming round to your house tomorrow." Olivia said as they sat in silence on the plane. "And Cragen called this morning – we have the rest of the week off." She added as Elliot put his arm around her.

"Thanks… for talking to Kathy. I know you have never seen eye to eye."

"She just didn't like that I knew more about you than she did while you were married. We were always civil though, and now, she respects me."

"I'm sorry she was so hard before the divorce."

"If our roles were reversed, I can't say I would have done anything different." And Elliot kissed the top of her head.

Olivia climbed into the driver's seat of their car at the airport, despite Elliot's protests and they headed back to his house.

"You would never be able to drive with that arm in a sling." She said as they got to his house and Olivia grabbed the bags from the boot while he fumbled with the keys.

"I could have managed." He grumbled, successfully opening the door.

"I'll stay with you for a couple of days, till you can move your arms again." And at this he did not protest.

"I'd like that." He said and she smiled, putting the bags down in the lounge and kissing him lightly.

"You feeling OK?" and he nodded, pulling his arm around her. "I told Kathy that you would call her when we got back to this city."

"Yeah, OK." And he walked into his study, picking up the phone.

"Hello?" came a voice on the other end.

"Maureen, its Dad." And he could hear his eldest daughter call out to her siblings.

"Daddy, are you OK? Mom said you were hurt while you were on assignment."

"I'm fine. I hear you are going to come see me tomorrow."

"Yeah, mom is going to bring us round at ten. What exactly happened to you? Mom wouldn't give us the details."

"I got shot." He said shortly and he heard Maureen's sharp intake of breath and her calling out 'Dad got shot!' to the others.

"Mo, relax – I'm fine. It was my shoulder. Listen, I'll see you all Tomorrow, I just wanted to let you know that I'm ok." And he heard the phone change hands and Liz started talking to him.

Olivia poked her head through the door and she smiled at the look on his face. He looked at peace talking to his kids and as he put the phone down, Elliot looked up at her and smiled.

"They're going to be here at ten Tomorrow morning." And he pulled Olivia into the room, kissing her gently.

"You should be in bed." She said and he grumbled as she released him from her embrace.

"I'm fine, just happy to be home." And he led her out of the office. "Are you going to tuck me in?" and laughing, Olivia dragged him upstairs. She helped him change into a pair of sweat pants and t-shirt, kissing him lightly as she went and he smiled, pulling her closer to him with his good arm.

"Your kids are coming in the morning, I really shouldn't sleep here."

"We'll make the bed before they get here." He said and she rolled her eyes, pulling the sheets up and over their tangled bodies.

"You better wake me up before they get here." And he laughed – the last sound before they drifted off to sleep.


	17. Chapter 17

Olivia woke up the next morning well rested for the first time in ages and sitting up; she saw that Elliot was still asleep beside her. She glanced at the clock and swore slightly, noticing that there was only twenty minutes before the Stabler children were to arrive. Leaping out of bed, she quickly made the side of the bed she had slept in and dashed into Maureen's room, pulling the sheets out and crinkling them so it looked like she had slept in them.

"Elliot, they'll be here in a few minutes." Olivia said, returning to his room and shaking his good shoulder slightly.

"Yeah, yeah. I'll get up… but not without a kiss." He said, his eyes still closed and laughing at his child like request, she laid a gently kiss on his lips. Elliot reached out though and grabbed her by the waist, deepening the act and she smiled, pushing him away.

"Get up Stabler – I am going to have a shower and when I get out, you will be out of bed."

"Yes mother." He said and she rolled her eyes, walking out the room and grabbing some clean clothes from her bag.

Fifteen minutes later she stepped out of the bathroom, her hair damp and walked downstairs to find Elliot making toast.

"You not going to shower before your kids get here?" Olivia said and he shook his head.

"I'm OK for now… Unless you think I smell."

"God no." she smiled, wrapping her arms around his waist. "It's your sent." And she rested her head on his shoulder, taking a deep breath.

"So why do you shower? You're like a drug to me – why do you cloud it with those perfumes and lotions?" And he turned around, kissing her, just as the doorbell rang. She pushed him away lightly and assumed the task of making breakfast as he walked down the hall to answer the door.

"Daddy!" Dicky yelled, running inside and hugging him round the waist – Liz following close behind.

"Are you OK?" Kathy asked, walking in behind her older two girls and Elliot nodded, shifting his shoulder slightly in the sling.

"You really got shot dad?" Kathleen asked and he nodded, leading them all inside where Olivia was boiling water for coffee.

"Aunty Liv!" Maureen called, seeing her standing in the doorway to the kitchen and she gave her 'aunt' a hug, pulling her in to join the family. "What are you doing here?"

"You dad had a bit of trouble trying to drive and what not, so I offered to help him out till he gets the mobility back in his arm." She said, sitting down beside Kathy and turning to explain what had happened in detail as Elliot gave the simplified version to his children.

It took nearly an hour but eventually, the twins stopped pestering their father with questions or demanding to see the wound, but once they had, the room fell silent.

"I'm hungry, who want's lunch?" Olivia asked to the silent room and the kids jumped up, following her into the kitchen as Kathy got up and sat down beside her ex.

"You can have the rest of the day with them. I'll send Adam to pick them up after dinner." She said, leaning back in the chair, looking through the door and watching Olivia laugh as she and the four kids fought over the peanut butter. "You're dating her, aren't you." And Elliot looked sharply over at her. "Thought so." And after a minute or two, he slumped back in the chair.

"How did you know?" he asked, staring at Olivia through the door.

"The way you look at her." And she smiled. "What, did you think I would be angry that you are dating a woman after we have been divorced and I have re-married?" and Elliot laughed.

"It's been about two months now." He resigned, grabbing his coffee and taking a sip.

"You might want to tell the kids then. Maureen is getting good at reading you, like she can me. She guessed my secret."

"Secret?" Elliot asked and Kathy blushed.

"I'm pregnant again."

"Congratulations! How far?"

"Six weeks. I told Adam last week and our Mo guessed a day later."

"When are you going to tell the other kids?"

"I might give them a few more weeks."

"I'll make you a deal – I'll tell them about me and Liv today, if you tell them that they'll have a brother or sister." He smiled and she laughed audibly, nodding.

"Fine. If and when they tell me later tonight, I'll tell them my news." And she stood up, swinging her bag over her shoulder. "See you tonight kids!" Kathy called and there was a smattering of acknowledgement from the kitchen as their mother left the house.

"Hey kids, why don't you eat outside while I help Aunty Liv clean up?" Elliot said, walking into the kitchen and seeing the PB&J fire, and they hastened to obey.

"You trying to get rid of them on the day they come to see you?" she said, applying a rag to the microwave door.

"I want to tell them about us." And she dropped the cloth in surprise, staring at him.

"Elliot…"

"I don't like hiding things from my kids. I hate doing it."

"El, honey -"

"If you love me, you'll accept why I need to do this." And she put a finger to his lips silencing him.

"I was surprised that you managed to keep it secret as long as you have. I never want to come between you and your kids so you tell them when ever you want to." And he smiled, pulling her into a one armed hug. "That and I think Maureen has guessed. She went up to her room and told me that no-one messes sheets like that if they sleep in them." She added, releasing him from the hug.

"She has a knack for that." He agreed and stooping, he picked up the fallen cloth, wiping the stove top clear of the mess. "I already told Kathy. We agreed in tit for tat – if I tell the kids about us, she's going to let them know her news."

"What news?"

"I'll tell you later tonight. Can't risk the kids getting it out of you." And she threw the tea towel at him.

"I think you should tell them first. See how they react before I come out." And Elliot nodded, putting the cloth in the sink. "Go – I'll finish up here."

"Aren't you eating anything dad? You should be eating." And Maureen handed her father half a sandwich.

"Thanks." He said taking a bite, readjusting his sling. "Guys, there's something else I want to tell you."

"What daddy?" Liz said and he took a deep breath, wondering how to voice his news.

"You guys love Aunty Liv, right?" and they all nodded, Dickie adding a 'why wouldn't we?' and he continued. "Well would it be a problem if I was dating her, like before your mom got married again, how she dated Adam?"

"Dad, is Aunty Liv your girlfriend?" Kathleen asked directly and he looked over at her, seeing the smirk on her face. His eyes travelled over his children and he could see that they were all tying not to laugh.

"You all guessed?" he said and the laughter erupted from their mouths, hugging their father as gently as they could because of his injury and Liz ran inside to drag Olivia outside where the rest of them were.

"It took you two long enough." Maureen said, enveloping her chosen godmother. "You have been dancing around each other since mom and dad split up two years ago."

"Have we been that obvious?" Olivia said and all three of the girls nodded while Dickie played absently with a pine cone.

"How long has it been?" Kathleen asked and Olivia smiled lightly, Liz cuddling into her side.

"Two months now." And Dickie smiled, standing up and walking back inside.

"Hey, where you going?" his father said, looking over at him.

"I don't want to hear all this girly crap. You mind if I play, play station?"

"Only if you let me beat you one handed."

"No way old man." And the boys retreated into the house.

"Has daddy taken you out to dinner?" Liz asked and Olivia nodded, well aware that she was in for a long winded interrogation.

"Yes, he's been a real gentleman." She blushed and the girls giggled.

"Does mom know?"

"As of about ten minutes ago. Your dad told her."

"So if you two stay together and get married, you'd be our step mother!" Maureen laughed and her sisters joined in, seeing the blush rise deeply in Olivia's face.

"This is so cool." Kathleen said, lying down on the grass. "You can do all the cool stuff with us that mom wont, like teach us how to get guys and stuff like that."

"Don't I already? I think I have for years." she said and the girls laughed again. For close to an hour, the four women laughed on the lawn, Olivia steadily growing redder as the conversation turned more vulgar than she would have liked from a ten, fourteen and seventeen year old. "You know, I think your dad and brother might be getting bored constantly loosing to each other. Maybe now is a good time to join them." And they all got up, heading back inside.


	18. Chapter 18

Late that night Olivia loaded Elliot's dishwasher as he eased himself back down into the chair, his shoulder a little stiff from the demonstrations to his kids.

"Was Dickie ok with everything?" she asked once the machine was whirling and she sat down beside him on the couch.

"He just told me that I had good taste to pick someone so hot." And Olivia blushed, knowing that someone who was still in the third grade described her as such.

"Isn't that sweet." And she pulled Elliot's good arm around her shoulders, leaning into his side as the ten o'clock news began to play. "What did Kathy have to tell the kids?"

"She's pregnant – child number five!"

"That's great! How far along is she?"

"She said six weeks, and Maureen actually figured it out herself."

"Well, congrats to her and Adam."

"Did you ever want children of your own?" Elliot asked a minute or so later and she looked over at him, confusion etched across her face.

"Why the question?"

"I just thought that you might have thought about it at some stage." And her face softened as she leaned back into his arms.

"I did when I was younger, but as time wore on and I stayed single, I just figured it wasn't meant to be."

"Liv, I know for a fact that you are only thirty four. It's not too late for you if you still wanted to…"

"I don't know… maybe…But I mean, I have never been in a relationship longer than about three months, that's no where near long enough to know if I wanted to have kids with the guy… " and she drifted off, letting the noise of the evening headlines fill there ears, knowing that the two of them were only a month away from her personal best.

"You know I'd do anything you asked me to." He said with a smile and Olivia looked up at him, kissing him gently and resting her head on his shoulder.

"Thank you." She said softly and she stood up a minute later, pulling him to his feet, the two of them walking upstairs to bed.

"How's your shoulder?" Olivia asked as she helped him take off his sling and change into pyjamas.

"It doesn't hurt much – it's just stiff." And he flexed it, wincing slightly as it caught.

"Well, hopefully with the physio, it will get better quickly." She said, turning her back to him as she pulled her shirt and bra off, pulling a night gown over her head. Elliot watched her with hungry eyes as her milky skin glowed in the dim light of the lamp and he sat down on the bed, letting his hand trail down between her shoulder blades. "Elliot?" and she turned around, seeing the desire across his face, his kiss still catching her off guard.

Olivia moaned into his mouth and lay down on the mattress, letting him lay on top of her, his good arm creeping up under her night gown, caressing her bare thigh.

"I need you babe." He whispered against her ear and she shivered, pushing him up into a sitting position, pulling the hem of his shirt up over his head, still careful of his injury. Elliot shook it free and pulled Olivia into his lap, kissing her deeply as his hands snaked higher under her gown, skimming the edge of her underwear and travelling still higher. She groaned as he cupped her breasts and pushed him down onto his back, straddling him.

"Liv, hon, your killing me." He said as she swirled her hips over his painfully hard member and he pulled her down, his lips attaching to her neck and she whimpered, his lips her undoing.

After a minute or two, she put her hands on his chest, pushing him down and stood up, walking backwards and jumping off the end of the bed, pulling his boxers down and her own panties she threw in his face. He caught them, inhaling her aromatic sent and watched as Olivia crawled back atop him.

"Two days out of hospital and already you're hard for me."

"What makes you think I ever went soft?" he whispered into her ear and she blushed, kissing her way down his chest, the cool satin of her night gown brushing over his hardness. "God, please Liv." He choked and she kissed him firmly, raising herself up and letting just the tip of his cock enter her. Her mouth moulded into a perfect 'O' and he thrust up hard into her making her collapse against his chest.

"I love you." He said as she pushed herself up against him and began to rock her hips.

After a minute or two, Elliot tried to flip them over but she pushed him down again and rose up on her knees, letting him slip almost completely from her body before slamming herself back down making them both groan in desire.

"You're injured – you shouldn't be doing the work." Olivia said, swirling her hips again before raising and impaling herself again. "Besides, I know once you have full use of that shoulder, you're going to take control again, not that I don't love it, but I like to have some fun every once in a while…" she smiled, continuing to raise and lower herself, both of them hissing as the contact left and moaning in pleasure as it came back.

Only a few minutes later the pressure that was building between them became too much and Olivia felt her walls tighten around his pulsating cock. Elliot groaned and he exploded deep inside her, feeling her convulse above him before collapsing against his chest.

"We don't have to hide ourselves at home." He said breathing hard and holding her tightly against him.

"No, we don't. I'll have to come round more often then." She smiled as he pulled the sheets over them and kissed the top of her head.

"I love you."

"Love you to honey." Olivia whispered against his neck and they drifted off into peaceful slumber.


	19. Chapter 19

Almost three months later, Elliot's shoulder had healed and he resumed active duty, Olivia still by his side. They still kept their relationship hidden but the squad had noticed small changes in the precinct. There would be nights where Olivia would walk through the door in a dress and heels, obviously in from a date and she would spend the whole night avoiding Elliot's eyes, knowing that a glance could make her weak at the knees, or there would be a bunch of flowers on her desk, unsigned and Elliot would join in the taunts trying to discover the name of her secret beau.

"How long have you been seeing this guy now?" Munch asked one day as yet another bunch of flowers were delivered to her.

"About six months now." She said, looking down at the lilies, and smiling.

"When do we get to meet this mystery man?" Fin asked and Elliot grinned behind the two men, seeing her blush deeply.

"You know, this is the problem working with only men. You get treated like the baby sister who all the men feel an urging need to protect." She said, sitting down at her desk and pulling a file towards her.

"Come on Liv, when do we get to meet him? Elliot has." Munch demanded and she sighed in exasperation.

"Tell you what, you introduce us to your ex-wives Munch, and I'll let him come by for a visit." She said and at Munch's slack face, she laughed returning to her work.

"Come on Benson, even I'm interested this time." Cragen said, walking out of his office and she suddenly found herself surrounded by the three men, Elliot sitting back in his chair, grateful that no-one would bother trying to get details out of him – he respected Olivia too much, according to them, to betray her trust.

"Uh uh. You're not getting anything from me till I'm ready to tell." She said, standing up and trying to walk away. Fin caught her though, laughing and Olivia found herself encased in the group.

"Come on Liv, or I'll dump your phone." Munch cried and the colour in her face deepened.

"Do it and I'll get Casey on your ass." She said, ducking under his arms just at the attorney entered the room.

"Whose ass am I on?"

"Munch's if he goes through my phone to find out the name of the man I'm seeing."

"Well, you'll get to tell me all about it. We're having lunch, remember?" she said, grabbing Olivia's coat of the back of her chair and handing it to her.

"I'll see you in an hour." She said, dodging the guys and the two women slipped out the door.

"So, Liv, how have you been keeping this mystery man a secret?" Casey asked as they sat down at a table in a near by restaurant.

"Not easily. I seriously think that one day they are just going to break into my apartment and try and piece it together."

"I'm half surprised they haven't already." She said as their coffee arrived and the waitress promised that their food wouldn't be long. "Are you ever going to tell me who this mystery man is?"

"When I'm ready." Olivia replied curtly but the intense stare of Casey made her fidget.

"You know for someone who is so cool calm and collected, you seem oddly uncomfortable with the subject. Is he married?"

"No, he's divorced."

"Ah, so she lets a piece of information slip."

"Yeah, well with 50% of marriages failing, that titbit of information won't help."

"Well, what does Elliot think of him? I know that they've met."

"He said that he thought I've finally picked a good one." She said, blushing.

"And yet you still won't tell me his name?"

"I'd rather save him the torture."

"Well, if Elliot likes him, I don't think that there's anything we'll find wrong with him. He is so protective of you." Casey said as their sandwiches arrived and they greedily bit down on their lunch.

"He is not protective of me. He knows I can handle my self."

"Olivia, open your eyes, if I didn't know better, I'd say that man is head over heals in love with you and would do anything to keep you away from danger." And she rolled her eyes.

"Casey…" but she trailed off, unsure where to go and Casey leaned in closer, studying her face.

"It's Elliot, isn't it?" And despite her silence, the deepening red of Olivia's face was confirmation enough. "Oh my god… it's Elliot!"

"You can't tell anyone till we talk to Cragen – we could both loose out jobs."

"Oh my god, Liv! This is great!"

"Great? This is probably the stupidest thing I have ever done. We could both loose our jobs over this."

"You love him, don't you?" and looking up, she nodded.

"You have to promise me that you won't tell anyone though. We are breaking almost every rule of inter-office relationships."

"I promise I won't tell a soul, but Liv, honestly, I have never seen you so happy." And she smiled, genuinely for the first time that afternoon.


	20. Chapter 20

Later that night, Elliot found himself driving back towards Olivia's apartment instead of his own house and knocking at her door.

"Elliot." She said, smiling, opening the door wider and letting him inside.

"I missed you baby." He said, his arms wrapping around her as he kissed her passionately.

"I can see that." She said, pulling away after a minute or two, closing the door behind him.

"I'm sorry about the guys earlier."

"Well, if you didn't keep sending flowers to me at work, I wouldn't have that problem." She said, sitting down on the couch with him, wrapping his arms around her.

"I'm sorry." He smirked and she smacked him lightly across the back of his head.

"No your not." She said and he kissed the back of her neck making her squirm.

"Elliot, you know, Casey figured it out."

"Figured what out?" he said, his lips still moving round her throat.

"She knows we're dating." And he stopped, looking up at her. "I made her promise not to tell a soul though."

"How'd she figure it out?"

"She reckons you are overly protective of me and when she accused you of being in love with me and I simply blushed. It wasn't a stretch."

"I do love you." He said and she smiled as he lay down, pulling her atop him.

"Doesn't it bother you though that Casey knows?"

"Not at all." He said and she propped himself up on his chest.

"Would you… would you mind if we told every one else?"

"You mean Cragen?"

"I hate lying to our friends. I hated it when it was just your kids and it's been torture for these six months."

"I'd do what ever you want babe. If you want to come clean, then I'll do it."

"How are we going to tell the captain. He could fire one or both of us." She said, resting her chin against his chest.

"I have an idea." Elliot said, his hand stroking up and down her back.

"What?" she said, her steady breath against his chest.

"I took the sergeant's exam at the beginning of the year, and passed it quite well. Cragen told me, that if I wanted he could have me transferred to another unit, possibly promoted as well."

"If they found out though that we were involved, you would never get the promotion." She said, angst and worry in her voice.

"You know what, I don't care – I love you too much." And he kissed her passionately, making Olivia melt beneath his touch. "I'll put in for the transfer tomorrow." He said as they broke apart and she clung tightly to him, a few tears falling down her cheeks.

"Hey, why the tears?" Elliot said, holding her up so that he could see her face.

"I'll loose my partner." She said simply, holding onto him tightly. "We won't be able to be together all the time. I'll miss you." And he brushed her tears away with his thumb.

"Move in with me."

"What?"

"I love you Olivia, move in with me." Elliot said, holding her close and she kissed him gently. "We spend every night together wether its here or at my place and if I have to be separated from you during the day, I don't want to spend another minute away from you."

"Are you going to help me pack?" and he held her closer, attacking her neck with his lips.

"No." she said after a few minutes and she pushed herself up off Elliot's chest, sitting upright in his lap. "You help me pack now and then we can have sex on any surface here that you want." And she felt his hardness grow at her words.

"Can't we pack later?"

"But then there's no incentive. I'll get some bags from my wardrobe and you can do this room if you want. Oh come on." She added, seeing his pout. "It will go faster if we do separate rooms." And she got off him, walking into her bedroom and pulling some boxes out from the top of her wardrobe, kicking them out the door as she put still more bags on her bed and began to unload her wardrobe into them.

It took them the better part of four hours to pack up her apartment and the same amount of time to give it 'the proper goodbye' as Elliot said.

"Do you think your kids are going to be ok with this?"

"Maureen actually asked me why we weren't living together already. They love you." He said, pulling his jeans back on and handing her a shirt.

"Well, I have the day off tomorrow, so I can take these over to your house while you talk to Cragen." She said shyly.

"Our house Liv. It will be our house." He said, looking at his watch, noting that he had only an hour before the work day began. "Come on, lets take these bags down to the car and you can drop me off at work before heading over to Queens." And the two of them collected some of the bags walking down to the car and throwing them inside.

By eight am, Olivia had dropped Elliot off and was unloading boxes into her new home. She had just finished with her third trip when she heard a noise from up stairs and she tentatively climbed them, searching for the source.

"Is someone there?"

"Hello?" came a voice back and she recognised Maureen's voice.

"Maureen, what are you doing here? Shouldn't you be at school?" Olivia said walking into her room.

"Nah. Its exam period at the moment but I don't have one today, but dad's place is closer to the library. What are you doing here?" and Olivia blushed. "Oh, please don't tell me you're here to do some sort of sex ritual or something for when dad gets home."

"No, your father asked me to live here."

"You're moving in here! Brilliant! I won the bet!"

"Bet?"

"Of when you would bring the boxes in. Now the others have to do my chores for a week."

"Well, since you're here, you can help me with the boxes then." And she pulled the young girl down the stairs to her car where it was still largely filled with her things.


	21. Chapter 21

After a further two trips back to her apartment, Maureen and Olivia managed to move all her things to the house, a sizeable collection of boxes littering the living room by mid-day.

"One step closer to being our step mother!" Maureen teased as they carried some of the bags and boxes upstairs to the bedroom while others remained down stairs.

"You're going to pester me and your father about that till something happens – aren't you."

"A child's purgative." She smiled, walking back downstairs to get another box.

By three o'clock that afternoon, most of the boxes were in their respective room and while Maureen added items to the kitchen, Olivia opened up the emptier side of Elliot's wardrobe where she had left just a couple of sets of clothes for when she had stayed the night and added the rest of clothing.

"Kitchen's done and I put all those books on the book shelf in the living room." Maureen said, walking into the room and picking up a dress that was lying across the bed.

"You think I could wear something like this?" she asked, holding up black satin material, noting the low dip of the neck and the short flares that ended above her knees.

"I don't think your father would be too happy. Your mother either."

"Yeah, but daddy wouldn't object if you wore it." She laughed and Olivia grabbed the dress from her, hanging it in the wardrobe.

"How's Kathy?" she asked changing the subject and Maureen's face lit up as she passed bundles of clothes to put in the dresser.

"You can feel her baby really easily now. Every time I feel for it, it kicks really hard."

"It knows your it's sister. Has she told you if it's a boy or girl?"

"She doesn't even know, but according to Adam, it's a boy. Something about how the heart beat gives it away."

"Are you excited about being the big sister all over again?"

"I'm not too thrilled about being in the house with a baby again, you know – the crying, nappies and stuff but the baby is going to be cute."

"Well, I bet your dad won't object if you want to retreat here." She said as she started putting shoes away.

"Aunty Liv, what size are these?" Maureen asked, the subject changing again as she held up a pair of stilettos

"Seven and a half." She replied, taking them from her and lining them up with the others before turning to the remaining two boxes on the bed and carrying them into the bathroom. "Are there any boxes left downstairs?"

"Just the one you marked mementoes. I don't know where you wanted it."

"Could you bring it up here for me?" and a minute later, the brown box was sitting on the bed, Maureen peeking under the lid.

"What are all these?" she asked, seeing the photo frames and files.

"This is my family." She said, finishing in the bathroom and sitting down on the bed and lifting the lid, pulling the items out. She held out a photo of her mother to Maureen and pulled out a police photo of Simon at the same time, tracing the outline of his face with his finger.

"That's my mother. And I found out I had a brother not long ago."

"How did you only 'just find out'?"

"Did your father ever tell you about what happened to my mother?" and at the shake of Maureen's head she continued. "My mother was raped when she was nineteen – a little older than you are now and got pregnant with me."

"Oh my god!" she gasped and she dropped the photo, staring at it.

"I ran my DNA through the system and found out that Simon was my brother."

"Your poor mother."

"Yeah." She sighed. "She died four years ago now."

"Olivia, I'm sorry…"

"Don't worry. But don't tell your brother and sisters. I don't think they need to know just yet."

"I won't." she agreed, handing the photo back.

"And you know what?" Olivia said, standing up and putting the box beside the night stand.

"What?"

"If you are on exam study time – you should be studying." And Maureen got up and disappeared back into her room.

"Olivia?" Elliot called as he got home a little after five that evening.

"I'm upstairs." She called and he wearily walked up into their room.

"How did it go?" she asked nervously as he sat down on the bed, shrugging off his jacket.

"We're both suspended for two weeks, I've been transferred to homicide, you're now partnered with Fin, and Cragen wants to take us out with the rest of the unit to celebrate." He said, finishing with a smile.

"He wasn't angry?"

"Oh, he was angry – more so because we broke the cardinal rule, but he said to me that he thought it was inevitable and that there was something there for years."

"How does he figure that… oh never mind." She said, wrapping her arms around his shoulders, gently massaging them. "So why so exhausted?"

"Well, my girlfriend did keep me up all night."

"That's not all."

"How do you figure that?"

"I'm good at reading you Stabler. I know when there's something you're holding back."

"Well, Munch and Fin heard the initial yelling from Cragen's office and figured out what was going on. Since it was a quiet day, they played the whole interrogation on me that you had to suffer through for all those months."

"Isn't payback a bitch." She said, smiling and massaging his shoulders.

"Maureen was here earlier. She was studying between exams."

"Was she still OK with you living here?"

"She said she won a bet of some sort." And Elliot smiled, nodding.

"Did you get everything unpacked?"

"Just about. Maureen did the kitchen for me and put my books on the shelves." And she pulled him to lie down across the bed and rested her head on his shoulder.

"Have you thought about what you want to do with your apartment?"

"I don't know. I could sell it, or just lease it out."

"What ever you want dear." He said, kissing the top of her head.

"So we get two weeks off?" and he nodded, pulling her tight into his arms.

"I'll fill out the paperwork for change of address and what not."

"You know, despite the fact that we are still in loads of trouble, I love you."

"I love you too Elliot. More than you'll ever know." She said as they drifted off to sleep – both exhausted from their day.


	22. Chapter 22

Almost three months later, as Christmas approached, Elliot had been installed in the Manhattan homicide unit as the senior detective – second only to the captain and Olivia had managed to cut off the head of Fin and Munch's probing by giving them the one day to ask questions. Cragen was still a little annoyed but he had always had a soft spot for her. She was like his daughter, coming to him for advice and counsel, using him as a pillar of support when ever she needed him. One evening she found herself at home before Elliot and she set about making some dinner for the two of them, pulling ingredients out of the cupboard and opening the fridge. She smiled as she saw the note taped inside it and pulled it out, reading the message.

"_My dearest Liv,_

_ Don't bother cooking; I made reservations for us tonight at our favourite place. Yes, it means you get to dress up. I'll pick you up at seven, OK? I left a present for you upstairs. Why don't you go and have a look…_

_ I love you,_

_ Elliot_"

Putting the rice back in the pantry and the bowl back in the draw, she walked up stairs, glancing at her watch, noting that if he planned to abide by his schedule, she only had half an hour. Opening the door to their bedroom, she saw a bag lying across the bed. Inside was a royal blue cocktail dress, the same one she had seen when she went shopping with the girls the weekend before. Dressing as quickly as she could, applying a little make up she looked at her reflection in the mirror, flattening the flares of the skirt and smiling. Grabbing a purse, she walked back down stairs, looking out the window, seeing Elliot leaning against the hood of his car.

"You going to tell me what's happening tonight honey?" Olivia said walking outside, closing the door behind her.

"You look amazing." He said with a smile, kissing her deeply and opening the passenger side door for her.

"Why are we going out?" she said, pulling away and climbing into the car.

"Can't a man take his girlfriend out once in a while?" and he climbed behind the wheel pulling out of the drive. They drove in comfortable silence for about ten minutes, pulling up at the same fancy restaurant Elliot took her to usually about once a month.

Elliot was the perfect gentle man the entire evening, pulling out her chair and pouring her wine.

"Elliot, what's going on?" she finally asked as their desert arrived and they still hadn't moved beyond small talk.

"Why do you say that?"

"Honey, I know you too well to not notice when something is bugging you."

"Are you going to go investigative on me and try and figure out what it is?"

"No, I trust you to tell me when you're ready." And he kissed her gently at the comment.

"There was something I was going to say, but you ruined my plan."

"I'm sorry, but you know you can't keep anything hidden from me." She said, feeling him press a small box into her hand. "Honey?"

"I had a whole speech prepared, but nothing I say would be the right words." And Olivia lifted the box onto the table, tentatively opening it.

"Elliot, are you asking me to marry you?" she said, seeing the diamond ring sitting on the small satin pillow and looking up at his anxious face.

"I love you Liv, and I want to spend the rest of my life with you, if you'll let me, that is."

"Will you put it on me?" she said, smiling broadly and Elliot moved round in their booth to hug her tightly, kissing her passionately. "I love you."

"You know my kids are going to go crazy."

"They've been joking about me being their step-mother for months. Looks like they get their wish." She smiled as he put the ring on her finger.

"You never said yes." He said smiling, gazing deeply into her eyes, seeing her radiant smile.

"Yes Elliot, of course!" and she kissed him again, pushing every inch of her body against him.

They left the restaurant ten minutes later, choosing to take their desert home and enjoy it there. Olivia snuggled into him as they drove home; making Elliot's driving questionable as she ran her hand along the inside of his thigh.

"Olivia, if you don't stop – I'll crash this car." He said, pulling her hand away.

"Then hurry up." She said, sitting up in her seat, her smile uncontained, and she could feel the acceleration of the car. It only took another two minutes before they were home, but the teenage excitement quelled when they saw the lights of the living room on.

"Maybe the kids are here." She said, nodding at Maureen's car on the drive way and he laughed slightly. "What?"

"I told them that I was going to ask you to marry me tonight. They probably want to here the news."

"Well, lets not make them wait." She said, kissing him, before opening the door and climbing out.

"Kids?" Elliot called as he unlocked the door, his arm around Olivia's waist and the tell tale thuds of their feet running down the hallway greeted both their ears.

"So, ah… anything to tell us?" Maureen said, smiling broadly, Kathleen and Liz giggling behind her and Dickie watching the two of them intently.

"Your father and I are going to get married." Olivia said and she found herself at the centre of a four way hug, the girls embracing her, Dickie slightly on the outside as his sisters jumped up and down excitedly.

"Did he give you a ring?"

"How did he do it?"

"Did he get down on one knee?" the girls were asking, pulling Olivia into the living room and they all sat down on the couch, leaving Elliot and Dickie at the door.

"You ok?" he asked his son, leading him into his office and they sat down on the chairs in there.

"Yeah. Olivia's cool."

"You know you can talk to me right? If there's something wrong."

"There's nothing wrong dad." He said

"Why are you so quiet then? Normally I can't shut you up."

"Dad, no offence or anything, do you think I care about the ins and outs of how you asked Aunty Liv to marry you. Just promise me I don't have to wear a tie at your wedding like I had to at mom's." he said and Elliot hugged his son.

"You know I fixed the outside light. Wanna play some hoops?" and the men grabbed a ball, walking out the door together.

Maureen drove her siblings' home later that evening and Olivia curled herself up in Elliot's arms.

"Was Dickie OK?"

"Yeah, he just didn't want to listen to all the girl talk. That and he asked if he had to wear a tie or not." And she laughed softly at the concerns of the ten year old. "They're part of your family now – my kids."

"Yeah…" she breathed and he pulled her up into his lap, kissing her gently. "But they always were." And he smiled, standing up, lifting her easily in his arms and he carried her upstairs to their bedroom, laying her delicately on the bed.

"You know, you have no idea how happy you made me." Elliot said, stroking her hair back off her face.

"About as happy as you've made me." She said, smiling broadly, pulling him down to kiss her, the coolness of the band of her engagement ring, pressing against the back of his neck. "I love you, so much."

"I love you too." He said, lying down beside her and cradling her in his arms

"I could lie here forever."

"Then do it. I'll never leave you Olivia – never." And she nestled next to him; resting her head on his shoulder as sleep over came them.


	23. Chapter 23

As snow fell over the city at the end of January, just days before Kathy was due to have her baby, Maureen, Kathleen and the twins were set to move in for a few weeks to calm the storm of a new born. Olivia and Elliot had warmly welcomed Kathy's idea to have them stay with them and all four were jumping with excitement to meet their new sibling.

"Are you and dad going to have kids?" Kathleen asked as she, Maureen and Olivia made the beds up in the twins' rooms.

"Who knows? Maybe." She said, putting a pillowcase on a pillow and sitting down on the bed. "When are Liz and Dickie getting here?"

"Mom is bringing them around after their friend's birthday party." Maureen said, just as he stomach issued a loud grumble.

"Are you both hungry?" Olivia asked and grinning slightly, they nodded. "Why don't you go and get something to eat now and you can get some stuff for dinner as well." And they went downstairs together, Olivia grabbing her purse and handing them some cash.

"Be back before your mom gets here, OK?" and the girls nodded, running out the door.

The girls had barley left when the phone rang.

"Olivia speaking."

"Good afternoon ma'am. I'm looking for a Detective E. Stabler."

"Ah, yes. I'm his fiancé. Can you tell me what this is about?"

"I'd really rather speak to him."

"I'm a detective also sir, not a crack pot."

"Ma'am, I'm calling form Mount Sinai hospital. It is imperative I speak to Detective Stabler."

"You know what, I'll pick him up and we'll come down to the hospital together."

"You might want to hurry." And the man hung up without a word.

Olivia threw the phone down and grabbed her keys, turning the lights on as she sped towards the precinct, dialling Elliot's cell as she drove.

"Elliot?"

"Listen, Liv, honey, now isn't a good time, I'm about to go into interrogation."

"I just took a call from Mt Sinai. They need you down there now – they wouldn't tell me why. I'll be out the front in thirty seconds. Be there." And she hung up, turning a corner. Elliot did as she told him to, his face paling as they sped towards the hospital, weaving in and out of traffic.

"I'm Elliot Stabler – what's up."

"Detective," the man whose voice Olivia recognised as the man she spoke to on the phone. "Come with me." And he led him into a quiet room, Olivia in tow.

"What's going on?" he said, pulling Olivia into the room despite the MD's protests.

"Detective, your ex-wife was in a car accident. She had your twins with her."

"Are they all right?" she asked, gripping Elliot's hand, feeling it turn icy cold.

"Detective, I'm afraid your ex-wife and daughter Elizabeth did not make it." And an audible sob escaped his lips as he gripped Olivia tightly. "Your son is hanging on, but you may need to be prepared to make a decision." And the tears started to fall down his face.

"Have you called Kathy's husband?" and the doctor nodded.

"He's sitting with her now. Detective, I think you should come and see your son." And standing shakily, he followed the man back outside, clutching a silently crying Olivia close to him. Elliot sat down in the chair beside the bed, watching the machines pump life into his son, his face covered in lacerations from the car accident, tubes coming out of all places.

"I'll get someone to bring Maureen and Kathleen down." Olivia said, wiping away some of her tears and pulling her cell out. "I'll be back in a moment." But she didn't think he even heard her.

"Cragen." Came the voice from the phone as Olivia automatically dialled a number. "Is someone there?"

"Captain?" she choked, the emotion clear in her voice.

"Olivia, what's wrong. Has Elliot done something? Did he hurt you?"

"No…" she cried into the phone, her sleeve becoming drenched from her steady tears. "There was a car accident. Kathy and Liz… dead… Dickie on life support…" she sobbed and there was a brief silence on the other end.

"Oh god." He breathed and Olivia could almost sense his tears.

"Can you get someone to get Maureen and Kathleen and bring them to Mt Sinai? They were getting some lunch. They don't know if Dickie will last." She sobbed and he hastily agreed. "I have to go." And she hung up without another word.

She ran back into the hospital and pulled Elliot's hand into hers, squeezing hard.

"The girls are on their way. I called Cragen." And he nodded, looking down at his son.

"The doctors said that he has a 50-50 chance of survival. He might never wake up though." And he cried, freely into her arms.

"Oh Elliot, I'm so sorry." She cried as well as the nurse pulled the curtains back from either side of Dickie's bed and both Kathy and Liz's body framed either side of him. Elliot got up off the chair, letting go of Olivia and picked up his daughter, cradling her in his arms. She sat silently in the chair, her eyes un focused as she watched Elliot hold his daughter's lifeless, broken body. After a minute or more, she got up and wiped a wash cloth over Dickie's face, wiping away the blood.

One of the doctors tried to pry Elliot away from his daughter but he clutched her lifeless body, his primal, fatherly instincts overriding his rational self.

"Elliot, they're just going to take them into a private room." Olivia said, placing a gentle hand on his shoulder, and he looked up at her, tears streaming down his face as he let her go, lying his girl back down.

"She's dead Liv." He said, getting up off the bed as the nurses wheeled it away.

"I know, honey. I'm so sorry." She said, tears trickling down her own face as she enveloped him in her arms, shielding him as Kathy's body followed her youngest daughter. "Elliot, you need to be here, for Dickie." And he nodded into her shoulder, sitting down beside his son, picking up the wash cloth Olivia had dropped.

"Ms Benson?" a nurse said and she looked up, her hand still on Elliot's shoulder. "A Captain Cragen is here with- " but she stopped as Elliot moved to stand up.

"I've got it." Olivia said and nodding he turned back to his son as she walked into the waiting room.

"Olivia, what's going on?" Maureen said, seeing her to-be step mother walk towards her, tears streaking her face "Is it dad?" she added as Kathleen stayed silent.

"There was an accident." She said, still crying steadily, her breath coming in heaving sobs.

"Girls," Don said, sitting the girls down in a chair as Olivia collapsed into the one beside them. "Your mother and the twins were driving to your father's house when they were hit." And the tears started in the girls' eyes.

"The nurse told me that Dickie is hanging on, but your mother and sister… they didn't make it."

"No!" Kathleen cried and she threw herself into Olivia's arms, Maureen, sitting still like a statue, her face drenched in tears.

"I'm so sorry girls." Olivia said crying with them as Don comforted them and several of the hospital staff led the distraught family into the room where the bodies lay.

"Mom!" Maureen cried, throwing herself across her body as Kathleen still hung onto Olivia, barely noticing her step father in the corner, crying silently holding a bundle, wrapped in a white sheet.

"Did it make it?" Olivia said, nodding towards him and Adam shook his head.

"It was a girl." He said, cradling the babe and crying.

"Lizzie." Kathleen said, finally releasing the older woman and looking over at her sister. "It's not fair. IT'S NOT FAIR!"

"I know sweetie." Olivia said pulling the younger girl into a hug again.

"She's only ten." And Maureen got off her mother, turning to Liz and crying still harder.

"Aunty Liv, is Dickie going to be OK?" Maureen said and Olivia shrugged her shoulders.

"I don't know. The doctors won't tell me because I'm not family. Your dad's with him though, maybe they'll let us go and see him." She said and still crying hard, the three women left Adam alone, heading back into emergency room.

"Girls!" Elliot said, seeing his other daughters start to run towards him and he pulled them both into a tight embrace.

"How's Dickie doing?"

"They need to take him to surgery in a minute." He said, lifting his head off their shoulders and turning back to face him. "They got him stable though."

"He's a tough kid, he'll pull through." Olivia said, rubbing Elliot's shoulder as the doctor came over to them.

"Mr Stabler?" he said.

"Yeah?" he said, looking up again, his daughters still clutching hard to him.

"If you're up to it, I can take you through your son's condition." And Elliot looked back down at his broken boy.

"Do you want me to find out for you?" Olivia said and he nodded, not moving his eyes away and Olivia got up, following the doctor out of the cubicle.

"How do you know Richard Stabler?" the doctor asked, staring at her insensitively.

"Dickie's father is my fiancé and the kids chose me as their godmother years ago." She said, wiping her face with the back of her sleeve.

"Oh, I'm sorry." He said, sitting down and gesturing that she should do the same. "I'm the surgeon that's going to operate on him. From the scans, we can see that he has a collapsed lung that we've already re-inflated it, but we need to repair the damage. He also has a perforation of his left kidney we need to repair. He may end up loosing it entirely, and we also need to repair a compound fracture to his tibia and fibula but that will happen last." He concluded, seeing Olivia's face fall at the gravity of the surgery the young boy had to undergo. "Ms Benson, your fiancé will need to understand that things could go very wrong in the operating theatre, and even if he does pull through, he will need weeks of physiotherapy on his leg before he can walk again."

"I'll talk to him. Dickie definitely needs the surgery though?"

"He won't live without it." The surgeon said and she nodded sadly, getting up and walking back towards Dickie's bed where the remnants of the Stabler family held their tearful vigil.

"Elliot, they need to take him to surgery now." She said, crouching down beside him and resting her hand on his. There was no need for her to explain – the tone of her voice was enough to convince him that what ever the doctors said his son needed, he would allow. "Girls, this nurse is going to take you back to Adam and your mother… and sister. I'll bring your dad up in a minute." And they nodded, to emotionally drained to speak, mutely walking out of the room behind the kindly nurse. "Elliot?"

"He really needs surgery?"

"That's what they told me. I can walk you through it if you like." But he shook his head.

"Just pray with me." He said, holding his son's hand and they stood there together in silence, as the surgeon walked over to them.

"Mr Stabler, we need to take him in to surgery now. I'll send someone down in an hour to tell you how he's doing." And they wheeled the bed away.

"Elliot? We should go to Maureen and Kathleen." Olivia said and she steered her fiancé away from the now absent bed.

"Do you think he'll make it?"

"I believe it." She said as they walked back into the room and Elliot was immediately enveloped by his daughters.

"Mr Stabler, Mr DeCant?" a nurse said moments later, coming into the room. "We need to take Kathy, Elizabeth and the baby downstairs. If you like, you can wait here until Richard is out of surgery though."

"Can we just have another minute?" Olivia said, staring at the crumpled family.

"Sure – I'll be back in a minute." and she closed the door, leaving them alone.

"Elliot, Maureen, Kathleen, Adam? They have to take them downstairs in a moment. You might want to say good bye." She said, tears rolling down her own face. Elliot looked up at her and nodded, his eyes red, releasing his girls and kissing Liz's cold forehead.

"Princess." he whispered as Adam continued to cradle the child he would never know and the girls enveloped their mother. "I love you princess. Daddy loves you." and tears still streaming down his eyes he stood up and walked over to his ex-wife.

"Why don't you go over to your sister." Olivia said and the girls moved away from their mother reluctantly only to resume their crying over their sister. Adam stood at his wife's feet, holding the babe and cried silently as Elliot spoke softly to her.

"I promise I'll look after them. Maureen and Kathleen, and I'll make sure Dickie gets better. I promise they'll turn out right." and he turned, falling into Olivia's arms, crying in earnest.


	24. Chapter 25

Kathy, Liz and the Baby's bodies were taken away just moments later and the group collapsed into the chairs around the room. After a few hours, Adam left in a daze just as Elliot's parents and Kathy's mother arrived, all grieving and all praying for Dickie's life. As midnight ticked closer, Elliot's parents took Maureen and Kathleen back home, and Kathy's mother checked into a motel for the night.

Elliot had his head in Olivia's lap and she was stroking his hair, both of them waiting for news. It was nearly two am before the surgeon came into see them and they stood up, looking expectantly at him.

"Mr Stabler?"

"How's Dickie?" Elliot said in an urgent voice, cringing slightly as he spied the blood on the surgeon's gown.

"He's going to be just fine. We repaired the damage to his lung and we've set his leg with pins."

"What about the kidney?" Olivia said, sighing with relief along side her fiancé.

"We had to remove it – it was too badly damaged, but Mr Stabler, your son is extraordinarily lucky."

"How so?" he said.

"Most people are born with just two kidneys but with twins it is not uncommon for one of them to have three, while the other has only one. I believe that your daughter only had one kidney, since your son had three. It means that he should be able to lead a life without the constant need for check ups by specialists because of this."

"Can I see him?" and the surgeon nodded, leading the couple into the room.

Elliot immediately sat down beside his son and held his hand tightly.

"Dr..."

"Prime." the man said and Olivia smiled weakly.

"Dr Prime, what's the course of action now for Dickie?"

"Ms Benson, I really should be going over this with Mr Stabler."

"I'm marrying the man – I'll be Dickie's step mother and Elliot is in no shape right now to absorb this information. Please, just let me help him while Dickie gets better." and he nodded.

"Well, he'll need to stay here for about a week while his lung repairs and the frame on his leg sets. Then he'll have a cast from his foot to his groin for approximately two months."

"He'll be in a wheel chair?"

"For a little while, yes. And we'll get fortnightly x-rays to check on his progress."

"What about his lung and stomach?"

"Well, recovering from his type of injuries is much like loosing roughly 80% of his fitness. He'll get tired easily, be breathless, but the recovery, once the surgery incisions heal, is just a matter of maintaining fitness and gradually increasing it till it is at the level it was before the injury."

"So he should recover relatively quickly then – in the grand scheme of things?"

"Ms Benson, there will be complications, further down the track."

"Like what?" she said, suddenly fearful.

"Dickie is still growing, so we are going to need to carefully monitor how the leg grows to ensure that he is not permanently physically impaired."

"But he'll live?" and he nodded, placing the chart on the door.

"Take care of them Ms Benson. The road ahead will be rough, but you will all pull through." and he left the room.

"Elliot?" Olivia said as she closed the door and put a hand on his shoulder.

"What did he say?"

"He's going to live honey. He's going to live."

"Oh, thank god." and he wrapped his arms around her.

"I'll explain the details later, but he has to stay here a week." and she sat in the chair while Elliot seated himself on the bed beside his sleeping son.

"We have to plan... funeral..." he choked after a minute or two, the tears sliding down his face and Olivia nodded, taking his hand in his.

"I'll take care of it. I'll talk to Adam and Kathy's mother and I'll take care of it." she responded, her voice choked with just as much emotion. Silently, Elliot got up and kissed the top of Olivia's head, just as a tear rolled down her cheek.

"Thank you." he said and she stood up, letting him take the chair.

"I'll tell the nurses to bring a cot in here for you and I'll bring Maureen and Kathleen in later." and Elliot nodded, his tear stained face, turned back to his son.

"Elliot, I'm so sorry." she said from the door and he looked up.

"I'm sorry to honey. I know you loved Liz like your own daughter too." and the tears fell in earnest. Elliot got up and enveloped her, letting Olivia cry into his shoulder.

"I'm sorry." she said again, letting Elliot go. "I'll go back to Maureen and Kathleen. I'll see you in the morning, OK?" and he nodded, letting her go too.

"I love you honey."

"I love you too."

The next few days passed like a blur for everyone. Maureen and Kathleen clung to Olivia when ever they were at home and to their father when she brought them to the hospital to see their brother. Dickie had been just as distraught when he discovered his mother and twin were dead and at hearing that news, he had barely let his father's hand go. Olivia had been the rock they lent on – taking care of any necessary arrangements or making sure that Elliot had a clean shirt at the hospital. She had even taken the heavy hearted steps to ensure that Liz and Kathy were laid to rest in the way they would have wanted.

Two days after Dickie was released the families came together to mourn for the lost daughter and mother.

"I don't know what I'd do without you." Elliot said later that night after the funeral. Olivia was sitting on their bed, looking at a photo in a frame, the same position she had been in when Elliot had gone down stairs to held Dickie change and get into bed.

"Someone had to do it." And she handed him the photo. He recognised it from the photos that adorned her chest of draws – a photo of Liz and Olivia in a frame Liz had made herself at school.

"Liz gave that to me for my birthday years ago. I didn't even know at the time that you had taken the picture."

"She loved you – you've always been my kids' favourite aunty."

"I know they're your kids, but I really care for them." And a solitary tear fell down her cheek. Elliot caught it, wiping it away with his finger and held her close.

"Olivia, would you mind if we postponed our wedding for a while? I know we hadn't set a day, but I don't think I could handle planning anything now." He said as they laid down for sleep.

"Nor could I." she said, resting her head on his chest. "It's not going to be the same without Lizzie and Kathy there."

"We'll give it a few months before we think about anything." And she nodded against him.

"We all need time." And with that, no more words were needed. They drifted off to sleep together.


	25. Chapter 26

By the time Dickie's cast had been removed and he was walking again, the sheer shock of the deaths had waned and life was moving forward. There were more days with smiles than tears and normality had resumed. One weekend as Elliot took Dickie to physiotherapy, Olivia, took the girls to their field hockey game only to be met with an unexpected question.

"Olivia, when are you and daddy getting married?" Kathleen said as they pulled up at the field.

"I don't know. We put any ideas on hold… after…" and the slight smiles that had crossed their faces faded.

"Are you still planning to get married though?" and she nodded as the girls got their sticks out of her trunk.

"Would you two be alright if we did start thinking about it? I know I can never replace your mother, but I love your father and I want to be there for you girls and Dickie."

Neither of the girls said anything but Maureen walked over to her and gave her a hug.

"Can we be in it?" she said and the three started laughing as they walked over to the field.

"I'll talk to your dad about it, but it looks like your team is warming up." And with a wave, the girls ran over to their friends who were already hitting balls at the goalie.

Slowly she walked over the rest of the parents, sipping the coffee she had bought at the drive through on the way.

"Who are you here with?" one of the parents asked, coming up to stand beside her and Olivia smiled, pointing at Maureen and Kathleen who was putting on her shin guards.

"How do you know Elliot's children?"

"I'm Olivia, his fiancée."

"Oh! The famous Olivia! I'm Georgina – Georgie. That's my daughter over there – Kelly." She said pointing to the centre-forward. "It's nice to finally meet you. Elliot talks about you every time I see him, excepting the last few months offcourse."

"Yeah. We all miss them." She said, knowing immediately who Georgie referring to.

"What happened exactly?" the gossiping mother said, eager for information.

"A drunk driver ran a light." She said softly, turning away and the woman put a hand on her shoulder.

"I'm sorry, but none of us knew what happened to Kathy and the twins – all we knew was that she and Lizzie were dead."

"I get it," trying to ignore her, focusing on the game. "Do you think we could leave the subject alone – it's still a raw memory."

"I'm sorry." She said, recognising the beginnings of a cold shoulder and quickly she swapped topics. "Do you understand how the game's played?" and Olivia smiled slightly.

"I played myself at their age – the same position as your daughter."

"Wow, I don't even know what she plays – my husband normally takes Kelly but he's catching up with his brother."

"She's the centre-forward. Mainly an attacking player. She plays very well." She commented, following the girl with her eyes.

The hollow conversation began to flow easily and Olivia could feel herself filling the void that Kathy had left. It was the beginnings of a friendship that naturally formed around the common point of interest – that being their children. Even as the game ended, she could feel herself embracing more of the role. Maureen and Kathleen ran over to her and enveloped her in a tight hug.

"Ready to head home?" she asked, taking the two sticks as the girls pulled their shoes off.

"We saw you talking to Mrs Adams. You should know that she will tell everyone at the next P and C meeting what you said."

"Lucky then that all we talked about the rules of hockey then." She smiled and climbing into the car, they disappeared into the evening.


	26. Chapter 27

"Elliot?"

"Yes dear?" he said as they washed the dishes from dinner late that night.

"Maureen and Kathleen were asking me today when we we're going to get married."

"You itching to become Mrs Stabler are you?" and she blushed, squealing in surprise as he whipped his tea-towel across her back side.

"I'm serious – they were asking me." And she took off her gloves, draping them over the tap.

"I had been thinking…" and Elliot put the plate down, pulling his woman into his arms. "I've been more than thinking."

"What?" Olivia asked, wrapping her hands around his neck.

"I was trying to keep this all a secret from you, but I need your help on it now."

"What is it?" and he dropped his hands from her waist, leading her into the den.

"About four weeks ago I started ringing around and, well…"

"Come on El, spit it out."

"Would you like to get married in Hawaii?"

"Hawaii Elliot?" Olivia said in surprise, sitting down on the couch and flipping through the papers he brought her

"I love you babe and I want to marry you, but after Liz and Kathy, I don't want a spectacle. I just want you and my kids on a beach some where." He finished, looking up at her tear stained face. "OK, it's a bad idea."

"No – honey its not." And she kissed him deeply. "When do we leave?" and Elliot saw her smiles through her tears.

"You just need to talk to Cragen, see when you can take a week or two off. I've already arranged it with my captain to take time when ever you can."

"You want to keep it a secret from the kids though?"

"They already know. It might be why the girls were asking you about it."

"I'll talk to Cragen Tomorrow." And kissing him again she stood up.

"All you need is a dress." Elliot smiled, scooping Olivia into his arms and walking out the room, up to bed.

It only took Olivia ten minutes to secure the time off she needed from Cragen and he was smiling warmly at the joy on her face.

"I haven't seen that smile in a while." He said as she hugged him.

"Hasn't been a lot to smile about till now." And, after a quick call to Elliot to confirm dates, they walked out of his office together.

"Hey everyone – listen up!" Cragen called to the busy precinct.

"What is it cap't?" Finn asked as Casey walked in with a towering stack of papers.

"Olivia is going to be gone for the next three weeks starting now. She and Elliot are finally getting hitched." And the room erupted in congratulations.

"Where's our invitation?" Munch cried over the noise and Cragen whistled – silencing the noise.

"Can you get time off to go to Hawaii?" and Casey cried in excitement.

"He's taking you to Hawaii? Man Liv, how is it you snag the romantic." And she blushed.

About an hour later after continued congratulations, Casey finally managed to extract the solitary woman and dragged her to the coffee shop around the corner from the precinct.

"When do you leave?"

"Wednesday. So I have a week to find a dress and organise things on this end."

"It's just you and Elliot then?"

"And the kids." She smiled.

"Won't they be a little, ah, interfering if you and Elliot want some time alone together?"

"Maureen's old enough to look after the others so we can still have time together. And Elliot booked another room for them a couple of rooms down from us."

"No waking them up with the nasty!" and Olivia blushed.

"You have the rest of the day off then?" she said to Olivia after a few moments, casually sipping their coffees.

"Yeah, why? Did you want to do lunch or something?"

"No. I'm guessing that you'll take Maureen and Kathleen to find a dress but there is no way you'd take them where I want to take you." And she threw the cups into the bin, leading her to the car.

"Casey, where are we going?"

"You'll need something fun for the new hubby." And after a few moments of driving, Olivia realised what her friend meant and she blushed to the roots of her hair.

"Indulge me – since I can't come to your romantic nuptial get away." And she pushed the prudish detective into the lingerie shop.

After two hours of increasingly see-through pieces, Olivia found herself at home with a bulging bag. She hurriedly hid the pieces in her draws – amongst her socks so that Elliot would be disinclined to rifle through the draw, glancing at her watch as she closed it. The girls were due home any minute and Dickie was headed to physio therapy with his father. Ready to indulge herself she drew a bath and sank into the warm water – the dulcet tones of Norah Jones filling the room as she slipped into a cool relaxation.

"Baby? Baby wake up." Elliot said, stroking Olivia's hair as she roused from sleep in the bath.

"Oh, what time is it?"

"Nearly seven. You're all pruney." And she shivered in the cold water, standing up as he handed her a towel.

"I didn't realise that I had fallen asleep!"

"Kathleen said that you were asleep when they got home at five. I've only just got home."

"No wonder the water's so cold." And she pulled Elliot's arms around her. "How many calls did you get?"

"Too many." He smiled, rubbing his hands up and down her back, smelling the perfumed water in her hair. "But my captain stopped putting them through, told everyone to email me."

"Please tell me you got the time off."

"That and I confirmed dates with the hotel in Hawaii. And I called the kids' school and they get to take some time off too, but I'm going to fly them home a week before us. I called Kathy's parents and they said they'd love to take care of them for that week."

"So we're all organised already?"

"The hotel is going to do everything and we just have to turn up." He smiled, noting that Olivia was getting cold in the towel and handing her the pyjamas from between their pillows.

"Do the kids know the dates yet?" and he shook his head.

"Well, we better tell them then." She smiled and they walked downstairs together.

"Dinner's ready!" Maureen called just as the couple reached the bottom of the stairs, and they walked into the kitchen to find Maureen serving up pasta, her siblings hungrily awaiting it.

"Hey, guys" Elliot said, accepting a plate from his daughter and sitting down at the table. "I have good news for you."

"We get a raise in our allowance?" Dickie asked but his father shook his head.

"You get two weeks off school."

"Cool! Why?"

"Because we're all going to Hawaii." Olivia said with a smile.

"Your wedding?" Kathleen said and Olivia nodded.

"We leave on Wednesday." And the girls got up to embrace their step-mother to be. "I thought that on the weekend, you might like to help me find a dress." And their faces lit up as Elliot and Dickie rolled their eyes.

"I don't get this need for girls to shop together." The young boy said.

"Neither do I." and Olivia lightly slapped Elliot's shoulder.

"Don't go there." She said and the table erupted in laughter.

"Dad, why do women need so many dresses?" Dickie asked as the women retreated into a hubbub of discussion.

"I have no idea."

"Why can't they just wear the same sort of stuff every day?"

"Maybe the bigger the closet is to girls what big TVs are to us." And they lapsed into silence, listening to the babble of the women.


	27. Chapter 28

"Listening to you and my girls down there was like hearing a different language." Elliot said late that night as they got into bed.

"Get used to it. Maureen and Kathleen could never talk about these things with Kathy, but I'm still more like an aunty or big sister than anything else." and she tapped the side of his face with a smirk.

"Ready to get married?"

"What day do we actually get married?"

"Friday."

"So we have eight more days then?" and Elliot nodded, sliding between the sheets.

"Are you coming over here hon?" he said a few minutes later as Olivia came out of the bathroom, dressed for sleep.

"To the warm body I use as a hot water bottle? Of course." and she let Elliot grab her hand and pull her on top of him. He sealed his lips over hers making Olivia melt against him.

"Do you know what I want to do to your body?" Elliot said in a husky whisper and he felt his fiancée tremble against his fingers. As quick as a flash he flipped her over, looming above.

"I think I do honey." she said, feeling the pulsating growth, pushing against her hip. "But no." and a smile crossed her face as Elliot's fell. "If we have just over a week till we get married, don't you think we can wait?"

"I suppose." he said as a frown darkened his face.

"Besides, I'll make it worth your while." and his hardness grew in excitement.

A sudden noise brought the two apart and Olivia looked up.

"I think one of the kids are sick." she said, hearing the tell tale signs of someone vomiting.

"I got it." Elliot said, moving to get up.

"Honey, you are in no shape to deal with it." she said, pointing to his erection. "I'll be back in a minute." and she left the room.

Twenty minutes later she came back in, seeing that either a cold shower or fond memories had cured Elliot's problem.

"Which one was it?"

"Kathleen. She says she thinks its the chicken she had for lunch. I gave her an antacid and put her back in bed."

"You know Liv, I know we haven't really discussed this, but did you want children of your own?"

"Elliot," she said, taking a deep breath, weary of what she was about to say. "We have three children and I know I'm not their mother, but we're still a family – With Kathy and Liz watching over us, I hope, with their blessing."

"You've been a wonderful mother to them in the last three months. But do you want a child of your own – your own flesh and blood?"

"I don't know Elliot. If it happens, I'll be happy, if not, I already am." and she was rewarded for her comment with Elliot kissing the top of her head.


	28. Chapter 29

On early Wednesday morning Olivia, Elliot and the kids piled into a taxi on the way to the airport and by ten am they were on their way to the island state.

"You got it?" Dickie whispered and Elliot's ears perked.

"Got what?" and his children's eyes averted his. "What are you hiding from me?"

"It's a surprise daddy." Kathleen said, shoving the papers back into her bag, hiding it out of sight.

"We promise it's nothing illegal, immoral or obscene, but please dad, don't ask us to tell you." Maureen said and his brow furrowed in confusion but grateful to his children, Elliot dropped the subject.

"What was that about?" Olivia asked as she came back over from the reception desk at the hotel.

"Honestly, I have no idea. They said it's a surprise."

"Well, they are in room 1514 and we're in 1522. I managed to get three single beds too in their room so no on has to share." she finished and there was a jubilant cry from the minors. "You get a key each and it you need it to get to the pool." and they grabbed them from her, pulling their bags towards the lift.

"Well, it looks like they're more happy to be away from us than school." Elliot said, wrapping his arm around her waist, picking up her bag, as well as his own.

"The hotel said that this afternoon, we need to meet with the wedding organiser to finish preparations."

"Want to check out our room?" and nodding, the pair followed up the lift, heading to their room.

The room was spacious with a separate lounge and generous bathroom.

"Elliot, how much are you paying for this?" Olivia said, walking around the room, feeling him wrap his arms around her from behind.

"It's a package deal – the wedding, the rooms, everything for less than ten grand."

"You going Dutch on me?"

"I promise it will be just as spectacular." And he lightly pecked the back of her neck. "You know, I booked you and my girls into the spa Tomorrow – all day pampering. Only the best for you."

"I suppose that means you want a massage now?" and he turned Olivia around in his arms, kissing her delicately.

"Can it be a naked massage?" and she pushed him backwards onto their bed, laying down beside him.

"I still can't believe you made me stop."

"I told you, wait till Friday. It's only another two nights." Olivia said, pulling his hand around her waist.

"Mr Stabler, Ms Benson?" an elderly woman said walking up to them.

"You must be Miss Franklin."

"Please, call me Betty." The woman said, showing them out onto the hotel's private beach.

"Olivia, Elliot." He said gesturing.

"I've arranged everything for you on Friday. Flowers, a minister, the papers, a small banquet afterwards for you and any guests you care to invite."

"It's just us and Elliot's children. There's only five of us."

"Well, we can mould it to suit your individual needs. If you have any changes or wish to include something, please give me a call."

"Thank you. We'll keep in touch."

"Oh, and Olivia, Elliot?"

"Yes?" Olivia said as they turned around.

"My congratulations to you both." And she smiled, walking back towards the hotel.

"So this is the place?" Olivia asked, pulling off her shoes and letting the sand filter through her toes.

"I hope this is everything that you could have wanted." Elliot said, holding her tightly.

"You and me, and the kids, on a beach in paradise? Elliot this is perfect." And she kissed him lightly.

"Just one more day. You ready for this Liv?" and she nodded, a tear sliding down her face. "Why the tears?"

"I'm finally getting a family. I've always wanted to be part of a family."

"You've always been part of my family." And Olivia sobbed into his arms. "Hey, baby, you have always been part of my family – we're just making it official." And she smiled, taking his hand as they walked back towards the hotel.

The next morning as Olivia, Maureen and Kathleen headed down to the hotel spa and Elliot dropped Dickie off at a surf school he went back down stairs to Miss Franklin.

"Betty?"

"Mr Elliot Stabler!" the woman said, smiling as she walked over to him.

"Betty, I need to talk to you about how many people are coming tomorrow. We need to re-evaluate those numbers…" Twenty minutes later Elliot headed down to the beach where his son was learning to surf. He smiled as he watched the boy stand up on a wave. He would make Olivia happy and hoped that the final surprise he had for her tomorrow would go smoothly.


	29. Chapter 30

"Morning beautiful." Elliot said that fateful morning, kissing her neck and watching as she squirmed, a smile stretching across her face, her eyes still closed. "Ready to get married?" and she opened her eyes.

"Last few hours of freedom."

"Not going to do a runner on me are you?"

"I promise, I never would. I love you." And Elliot kissed her passionately, pulling her a top him.

"I can't wait to marry you."

"How long do we have?"

"A couple of hours. You slept in my dear."

"What time is it?" Olivia said in a sudden panic.

"About eleven." And she leapt out of bed, pulling Elliot to do the same.

"Why the rush?" he said as she walked into the bathroom to brush her teeth.

"Elliot, honey, there are some things you never understand about women. If you go and help set up with Dickie, the girls want to come in here and get ready with me."

"See you at three then?" he said, kissing her firmly, her mouth full of toothpaste, and she nodded.

"I love you."

"Love you to babe." And Elliot grabbed his and Dickie's suits, walking out the room.

Olivia stepped into the shower a minute later, hearing the door to her room open and close, hearing her to be step-daughters ordering room service and pulling dresses out of the closet. Twenty minutes later she came out of the bathroom, a towel wrapped around her body and she saw the girls hungrily devouring a stack of pancakes.

"You know, dad has a big surprise for you this afternoon." Maureen said, pushing the plate with the last three pancakes towards her as Olivia slipped on a robe.

"Do you girls know what it is?"

"Yes." Kathleen said with an evil smile.

"You're not going to tell me are you?" and they shook their heads. "Well then, you can have a shower and start getting dressed. God knows it's going to take forever."

Taking a few bites of the pancakes, Olivia left the table and wandered back into the bedroom. She sat down at the vanity and started to dry her hair, the minutes ticking by as she listened to Kathleen pulling things out of a bag, putting them on the table and the shower running as Maureen scrubbed up before the event. There was a hub bub of activity as two o'clock drew nearer and by that hour the three of them had done their hair and make-up, ready for that afternoon.

"Are your dresses in the wardrobe?" Olivia asked as the girls bounced on the bed.

"Yeah – we packed them in with your dress." Maureen said.

"Well, get them on." And the older girl pulled them out and handed one to her sister.

Olivia had bought them both matching dresses when she had bough her own and told them that they could be her bridesmaids. They were the same style – Maureen's blue and Kathleen's green, both with a knee length skirt and spaghetti straps connecting to the v-neck body.

"You look amazing." Olivia said as they pulled them into place.

"Not as good as you will look when you're all dressed up." Maureen said, pulling the dress out of the cupboard.

"You know, I think dad is going to faint when he sees you in this."

"Yeah, I remember when you bought this. The guy with his sister couldn't stop checking you out." Maureen grinned.

"Well, I just think that your dad is going to be happy that I didn't let you buy the shorter dresses you wanted." Olivia said, taking the dress into the bathroom to change, not wanting either of her step-to-be-children to see the undergarments Casey had chosen for her.

She came out fifteen minutes later, doing the zip up and flattening the skirt.

"Wow, Olivia, dad really is going to melt." Kathleen said as she closed the bathroom door. The dress fell just below her knees and the strapless bodice was fitted tightly around her bust and waist, with thin gold ribbon criss crossing around her waist. The three of them were staring at her reflection in the mirror and didn't even notice when Dickie came into the room.

"How long have you been standing there?" he said.

"I don't know." Maureen said, turning around and pulling a pair of shoes onto his feet. "How's dad?"

"A nervous wreck. He's waiting down stairs. You do know you're already five minutes late. You look beautiful by the way Olivia."

"Thank you." She said with a slight blush, putting her own shoes on her feet. "Why don't you girls go down and tell him I'll come in a minute. Dickie can bring me down – can't you?" And the boy nodded.

The girls ran downstairs and Olivia sat down on the bed, staring at the boy.

"Dickie are you alright that I'm marrying your father?"

"Of course I am – why wouldn't I?"

"You just always seemed very quiet on the subject. I got the feeling that some how you thought I'm not good enough."

"Olivia," and Dickie embraced the older woman. "Dad loves you. He didn't love mom – they yelled all the time before they got divorced. Dad doesn't yell at you – he smiles. I just don't like talking about all this girly stuff. Thanks for not making me wear a tie by the way."

"It's too hot here for one – so I guess you can thank your dad." She said, straightening his jacket collar, smiling as she stood up. "You sure you're OK?"

"It's not just dad that loves you – Maureen, Kathleen and I all love you too." And he hugged her again, taking her hand and leading her out the door.

"Dad has a big surprise for you down stairs."

"Yes, your sisters said so. Am I going to like it Dickie?"

"I think you will." And the stepped off the elevator and walked to the doors that lead to the beach. "Surprise" he said and he opened the doors.

Outside on the beach was not just Elliot and the girls but most of their friends from the city. Cragen, Munch and Fin were there standing beside Elliot's parents and his brother. He had gotten Simon to come down and Casey was standing next to Alex – a true surprise. Some of Olivia's oldest college friends were amongst the group as well as some men she knew to be Elliot's mates. They all stood smiling around Elliot and his daughters, seeing them smiling in front of the celebrant. Olivia's face stretched if possible even wider and she practically ran down the make shift isle towards her beau.

Throwing her arms around Elliot's neck, Olivia whispered in his ear "How…?"

"Surprise." He smiled, giving her a squeeze. "Why did you think I had to distract you all day yesterday? You look beautiful by the way." And she kissed him delicately. "Ready to get married?" and nodding, they turned to the celebrant, nodding again to begin.


	30. Chapter 31

"I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss the bride." And Elliot crushed his mouth against hers, pulling her up into a hug.

"Let the lady breath Elliot!" Munch cried and they broke apart, turning to face their friends.

"Congratulations son." Elliot's father said, walking up to them, shaking his hand as Mrs Stabler gave Olivia a tight hug.

"He didn't tell you we all were coming, did he?" she said.

"No – and apparently your grandchildren did."

"Elliot always did like to surprise." And she hugged her new daughter in-law again before letting the couple turn to their friends.

"Alex, how did Elliot let you down here?" Olivia asked, hugging her old friend.

"I got out of witness protection two weeks ago and I was going to come back, but Elliot here found out and told me everything. He asked me to try and refrain from revealing myself till today.

"I'm glad your back."

"We have a lot to talk about. You, Casey and I are all going to meet up tomorrow for dinner and we'll talk about everything."

For about half an hour they moved through their closest friends before Betty – the wedding planner moved all their guests into the restaurant for dinner, leaving just the five Stablers on the beach together.

"Dad, Olivia – we have a present for you." Dickie said sitting down in the sand, gesturing for the others to do the same.

"Well not so much a present for you dad, but for you." Kathleen said, pulling a bag from behind the little wooden platform Elliot and Olivia had gotten married on just minutes before.

"What is it?" Olivia said as Kathleen handed her a thick envelope.

"Since mom died, we technically only have one parent and you've been as close as a mother to us since then – and before." Maureen said. "We love you – all three of us, so we spoke to Jenny's dad – remember – he's a lawyer, and he got these for us to give to you. If you agree with what we're asking, we want you to sign them both." And Olivia opened the envelope curiously.

Inside were adoption papers for all three of them, already written up, just needing a signature. Tears started to fall down Olivia's face as she handed them to Elliot to read. He smiled, nodding at his children.

"You want me to be your mom?"

"I can't think of anyone better since mom died. Neither can Maureen or Dickie." Kathleen said and Olivia pulled the three of them in a bear hug.

"Dad, we want you to sign those papers. We want to be a complete family again." Maureen said, handing her father a pen.

"I told you that we all love you." Dickie said giving her a kiss on the cheek.

"Wow" Olivia said, wiping her tears away, smiling as she looked around the people who had voluntarily included her into her family.

"Are you going sign them daddy?" Kathleen asked, looking expectantly at her father.

"You really want me to?" and all three of them nodded. Smiling, he opened the papers and began scrawl his signature.

"We'll meet you inside in a few moments." Maureen said and the three kids got up, walking into the restaurant.

"I can't believe that they actually trust me to take Kathy's place. I never thought I could fill that void for them." Olivia said, tears still streaming from her eyes.

"I never told you this, but when Kathy and I were getting divorced, we both agreed that if one of us died while the kids are still young, any future spouse should be really involved in the kids' lives. And especially after she married Adam and you and I started dating, we both agreed that you should become our kids' mother legally if Kathy died and Adam if I did. Neither of us ever thought it would come to bloom but since it has, I think it's only right that you sign these too." he finished, looking up, seeing that the tears were still streaming down her face.

"You talked about this with Kathy?" and he nodded.

"She must have told the kids – that's why they thought to get the papers."

"Elliot, I really am speechless."

"Baby, they love you and I love you more than I ever thought I could. You are my life." and Olivia kissed him passionately, making him fall back into the sand.

After about twenty minutes, Elliot sat up, pushing Olivia up with him.

"Don't you think we should go to our friends who I had to blackmail and scheme to get them here?"

"I suppose, but can we eat quickly?" she said, her hand grazing against his groin.

"Oh god!" he groaned, pulling her tightly against him. "Do you think you can wait two hours? That's how long I was told this would take between food and photos."

"I can, can you?" she smiled, getting to her feet and wiping her face free of tears.

"Not with you around." he said getting to his feet and lifting his bride into his arms. "Come on – the sooner we get to dinner, the sooner we can leave." and he carried Olivia back inside, the sun setting behind them.


	31. Chapter 32

"Honey, everything you did this evening was amazing. I love you." Olivia said as they got up to their hotel room later that evening.

"I just wanted this wedding to be perfect for you." Elliot said, sitting down on the bed and toeing off his shoes and socks.

"It was everything I dreamed of... and more." she said, her eyes glancing over at the adoption papers on the table, and lying down on the bed.

"I'll spend the rest of my life making you happy." he said, leaning over his wife, kissing her gently.

"Hey," she said, pushing Elliot away for a moment. "Do you still have that problem from earlier?"

"Like I said earlier – it doesn't go away around you." and he felt Olivia's knee rise up brushing against his hardness.

Elliot groaned and rolled on top of her, attacking her neck with his lips and Olivia moaned, wrapping her arms around him, pulling him as close to her as she could. He shrugged his jacket off as she yanked his shirt out of his trousers. Ripping his shirt in two, Olivia trailed his hands over his chest and Elliot growled, releasing her neck and running his hand up her leg, making her dress gather at her hips. She pushed him into a sitting position as he reached around her for a zip to her dress and pulled his shirt free before guiding his hands around to her back.

"Take it off me honey." she said as he undid the zip and Elliot smiled, his hands retreating back to her hips, pushing her dress up. With one swift yank, he pulled it from her and felt himself grow harder than he ever had.

She was laying on the bed in the lingerie that Casey had picked out for her last Thursday, her hair spread out like a halo on the pillow, her eyes clouded over in lust. Elliot ran his hand over the tight white corset, trailing up over ties to the spill of her breasts at the top. Silently, Olivia took his hand and moved it back down her chest to the juncture of her legs. He groaned in desire as he felt the satin of the crotch less panties and Olivia flipped him over, undoing the belt on his trousers, pulling them clean off him. She made short work of his boxers too, throwing them in a corner and smirking as she saw his hardness standing to attention.

"How long have you been hard?"

"Since you told me 'no' more than a week ago." and Elliot flipped them back over again and drove himself into her. She screamed out in shock, wrapping her legs around his waist and arching her hips.

"Oh god I love you babe." he said as he thrust in to her before pulling back out. Olivia cried out his name each time he locked himself inside her and she raked her nails along Elliot's back leaving long red welt marks.

Her orgasm hit her out of the blue and Elliot slowed his ministrations, watching the incomprehensible look of pleasure cross his wife's face.

"Elliot – Oh god!" Olivia said coming off her peak, pulling him into a fierce kiss. "How do you do this to me?"

"You do it to me." He said, trailing kisses up her neck and running his hand over the tops of her breasts.

"God – get these off me!" she said, pulling at the strings of her corset, needing to feel his touch against her skin. Elliot smiled and propped himself up on his elbows, pulling at the delicate strings. He had it off her in a matter of seconds as Olivia pulled apart the strings of her underwear, whimpering at the loss of contact as he pulled away to ease the process.

The film of sweat that covered their bodies shone as they lay together, gazing at each other's faces.

"Thank you so much for marrying me." Elliot said, kissing her gently, cupping the side of her face.

"I love you Elliot and I wouldn't have it any other way." She said and he kissed the top of her head, burying himself inside her.

The earlier frantic actions were slowed to their regular pattern of their love making and the screams turned back into the desperate pants that told the other they were close. Olivia arched her hips each time Elliot pushed himself inside her and he ran his hands over her breasts, tweaking her nipples, making her flush from her toes to the roots of her hair.

"Elliot!" she gasped after a few more moments and she arched again, her walls tightening around his straining cock and his resolve gave out, exploding deep inside her.

"I love you dear." He said as he collapsed on top of her and she clung onto his back.

"I love you too." Olivia said as Elliot flipped her over so that she was draped across his chest.

Olivia nodded off to sleep just minutes later and Elliot stroked her back, gazing at the woman of his dreams. She was his and he was hers now, wholly and completely. This beautiful woman who could have any man in the world had chosen him and his family. Even as he closed his eyes, sleep drawing nearer, her heart beat seamed to match his, their breath mingling with each other's. He loved this woman, with all his heart.


	32. Chapter 33

The next day Elliot woke up to find Olivia still stretched across his chest, the sheets tangled around their legs.

"Morning hon." He said, kissing her gently pulling her from sleep.

"Morning honey." She said, shivering slightly and pulling the sheets up over them.

"Sleep well Mrs Stabler?" and she smiled broadly, nestling into his shoulder.

"The best I've ever had."

"What time is it?" and they looked over to the clock together. "3pm? Did we really sleep that late?"

"Well were up late last night." Olivia said, sitting up and wrapping the sheet around her like a toga.

"Aren't we going to stay in bed all day?"

"I'm hungry and as delicious as you are, I need sustenance if we are to continue." She smirked, getting up and walking out into the lounge area of their suite.

"Honey, we have a present from the kids." She said, spying the box on the table.

"Sure it's from them?" Elliot said, getting up, pulling on his boxers.

"It says from Maureen, Kathleen and Dickie on the box. And it's in Maureen's handwriting."

"Well, why don't you open it baby." He said, wrapping his arms around her. Tentatively, she opened the box. Inside was a bottle of champagne and two glasses, etched with their names, another card in the box.

"You read it." She said, handing the letter to Elliot and he opened it, reading allowed.

"_Dear Dad and Mom,_

_Gran and Grandpa cornered us last night and said that they thought we should send you some champagne to congratulate you on the wedding, so Gran bought the bottle and we got the glasses for you. Remember we love both of you and Olivia, Alex said to remind you that you agreed to go to diner with her and Casey tonight, so Dad, you are coming to our room for pizza and movies._

_Grandpa said we weren't allowed to disturb you so we are going down to the pool with them. We'll be there till about five if you wake up and want to join us. See you later tonight,_

_Maureen, Kathleen and Dickie._" Elliot finished.

"Oh god – they're going to know what we were up to all night." Olivia blushed, knowing that Maureen at the very least would be smirking knowingly all day.

"Shouldn't they be happy that their dad is too?"

"Of course, but it's just a little embarrassing."

"Hon – they don't need to know what's happening behind this door. All they need to know is that we love each other." And he kissed the back of her neck, sitting down on the chair and pulling her into his lap. "Still hungry?" and she nodded. He held out a pear from the bowl on the table and let her take a bite from it, sitting and cuddling, enjoying each other's company – just the two of them for the next few hours.

"Did you and Elliot get out of bed today?" Casey said as she, Alex and Olivia met in the hotel restaurant for dinner.

"Would you?" she said with a smile, taking her seat at the table.

"I always thought you would marry that man." Alex said, pouring a bottle of wine out between the three glasses.

"Even though at the time Elliot was married to Kathy?" Olivia said and the former ADA nodded.

"It's so good to see you again Alex." Casey said, taking the glass, smiling at their friend.

"I still don't believe that Eliot managed to find you before you came and told everyone you were back." Olivia said.

"Are you going to tell us your news from while you were in the program?" Casey asked as they looked through menus.

"Well that depends – are you going to help our Liv explain to me how she finally got Elliot?"

"Course. I'll even describe the lingerie that I got her for last night." And Olivia blushed a deep red.

"You first Alex – I'm going to need more alcohol before I let Casey go there." She said and nodding, Alex began.

"Well, Gaveria was killed in LA and the federal police brought down his organization so the marshals told me there was no need for me to remain hidden from my friends and family."

"So you're back for good then?" Casey said hopefully.

"Well, that depends on something. Now, remember that I was gone for three and a half years. I started making friends and have a good job in Wisconsin."

"Spit it out Alex." Olivia said, needing to hear the punch line.

"Well, about two and a half years ago, I got married."

"What?" Casey spluttered, spitting out the water she had just taken a sip from.

"Who is he?" Olivia demanded – ever the detective.

"His name is Greg March and he's a forensic accountant."

"Congratulations Alex, sweetie." Olivia said, giving her a one armed hug from around the table.

"That's not all." Alex said, smiling and pulling some photos out of her hand bag. "That's Rebecca and the older one is Will."

"They're so cute – who are they Alex?"

"They're my kids." And the two women's eyes became as wide as saucers.

"Will is eighteen months old and Rebecca is three weeks old." She smiled, pulling out still more photos.

"Alex, they are gorgeous." Olivia said, flipping through them, seeing ones of Will on a swing, Rebecca sleeping and photos of the wedding.

"You look amazing for someone who has just given birth." Casey said, looking their friend up and down.

"Running after an almost one and a half year old with a new born is very good exercise." She smiled, taking the photos back after a few moments.

"Can we meet them?" Olivia asked and the former ADA nodded.

"They're in the room. I brought them here while the Marshals destroy my former identity and we can re-locate some where else."

"They're here – in the hotel? What are we doing down here in the restaurant then?" Casey said and redirecting their food to Alex's suite, they headed together towards the elevator.

"I'm going to get Elliot and the kids to come down and meet them too. What's your room number so I can meet you there?" Olivia said as they stepped onto the lift.

"1422. I'll see you in five minutes then." She smiled and she stepped off with Casey at her floor, Olivia continuing up alone.

"Elliot?" she said, knocking on the door a moment later and it swung open, Kathleen standing there with a slice of pizza in her hand.

"Hey – want some?" she said, inviting her inside.

"Hey, what happened to your dinner with Casey and Alex?" Elliot asked, pecking her on the lips.

"We swapped it to room service – Did you know that Alex got married and has two kids?"

"What? No she never told me that." He said, getting up from the floor where the pizza box sat.

"Well, she is. They're all here, in the room downstairs. She wants us all to meet them."

"Guys, do you remember Alex Cabbot? Maureen I think you would have been fourteen when she went away."

"Wasn't she at your wedding though?"

"Yeah. She wants us to meet her family. Come on, let's go." And getting up, Dickie stopping to grab one of the pizza boxes so he could continue dinner downstairs, they left.

"Alex, she is so cute." Olivia said as Alex handed her baby Rebecca at the door.

"Thank you – come in." and she showed the five of them inside. "Guys this is Greg." She said introducing them.

"Nice to meet you." He said in a deep voice. "And this is Will." Indicating to the squirming boy in his arms as they walked into the suite and sat down on the lounges.

"Can we play with him?" Maureen said and Greg nodded, letting him down and watching him run over to the girls who were already tempting with his toys.

For the next hour, Alex, Casey and Olivia chatted easily, Olivia nursing the baby in her arms as Greg Elliot and Dickie, growing bored of the increasingly feminine talk, turned to the night's football game. Elliot glanced over at his new wife from time to time and he found his eyes captivated by the sight. He could almost swear that she was the Madonna with child as he watched her coo over infant. She seemed completely at ease with her, like she was born to be a mother.

"Yes!" Dickie cried as Greg let out an audible groan as one of the teams scored, pulling Elliot back to the game.

"So, was your name still Alex while you were hidden?" Casey asked as Olivia rocked the baby to sleep.

"No, it was Emily, but the day the marshals told me I could come out of the program, I went back to using my name."

"Did Greg know?"

"I wasn't allowed to tell him till Gaveria was killed. He understood though, and I took his name when we got married so our kids don't have to go through any paper work." She smiled, seeing her daughter yawn. "So are you going to tell me how you and Elliot finally got together?"

"Yes, please do – I haven't even heard this yet." Casey said, eyeing the detective with beady eyes.

"Well, let's put Becca here to bed and we can talk in here." Alex said and the three of them got up and headed into the bedroom.

"So, spill." Casey said once Alex had put her daughter to bed.

"Well, about a year ago, Elliot and I were working a case – the Lucy Jasper case," and Casey nodded, knowing the case well. "And anyway, after that interrogation, Cragen gave us the night off and I offered Elliot dinner."

"So, you made the first move." Alex concluded, but Olivia shook her head.

"The night before I had dinner at his house with his kids and I crashed on the couch that night. The next night, I offered him a drink in thanks for the night before and he tripped over one of my chairs and cut himself. I was patching him up on the couch and we were just sitting there… and…" she trailed off, leaving the two prosecutors to fill in the details.

"You kissed?" Casey said and she nodded, the blush rising higher up her neck.

"And, one thing led to another…" she said, her face now resembling a tomato and they laughed at her discomfort. "Long story short, we woke up in my bed together." Olivia finished.

"How did you keep it hidden?" Casey asked Alex looked from one to the other.

"How long did you keep it hidden." She asked.

"About six months. Everyone knew I was dating someone but no-one knew it was Elliot. Then Casey here confronted me and within about a week, everyone knew."

"What did Cragen do?"

"He put Elliot in homicide and suspended them for two weeks." Casey said and Alex sighed in relief.

"I know" Olivia said "We both could have been fired but well, we were lucky."

"Why don't you tell her the story of how you guys got engaged?" Casey said and Alex beamed as Olivia laughed.

"Well, he left me a note in the fridge just before Christmas and left a dress for me on our bed. He took me to one of our favourite restaurants but he was fidgeting all night. I never gave him the chance to actually ask me though. I asked him what was bothering him and he put the box in my hand. I opened it and asked him if he was asking me to marry him and he said the magic words then." And they lapsed into a comfortable silence.

"Liv, I didn't like to ask earlier but why isn't Elizabeth here. Did she not approve of you marrying Elliot or something?" Alex asked and a few tears welled in Olivia's eyes.

"Kathy and Liz were killed in a car accident about three months ago. Dickie was also hurt but the doctors pieced him back together." Casey said, spearing Olivia the pain of answering.

"Oh god – Olivia, I didn't know." And she pulled the woman into a hug.

"Don't worry." She said, wiping her eyes with her sleeve. "It's just a fresh memory still. It's good to have a friend back though." And she smiled genuinely.

"You know, I should put Will to sleep too." Alex said after an uncomfortable silence and they got off the bed walking back into the lounge.

"Greg, Will needs to get to sleep. Do you mind giving him a bath before we put him down?" and he nodded, taking the boy from Maureen and Kathleen and walking into the bathroom.

"You know, girls, Dickie, we should probably let them get their kids to sleep. Why don't you take that pizza box to the trash shoot and we'll meet you at your room to say good night." Elliot said and his children stood up obediently, saying good night and walking out the door.

"Talk to you tomorrow?" Olivia said as Elliot put his arm around her waist and Alex nodded, smiling as she watched her friends walk out the door.

"Sorry we didn't manage to spend much time with you today." Olivia said as they met up with the kids a few moments later.

"Hey, we never expected to the day after your wedding." Maureen said, making Olivia blush slightly.

"We never figured that you'd even get out of the room." Kathleen sniggered and Olivia turned the light out, walking out of the room where Elliot was trying to persuade Dickie to go to sleep.

"I'll meet you in our room." She said, leaving the kids room with a smile and she heard Elliot mumble something to his son and quickly follow her.

"You know, you looked so natural with Rebecca this evening." Elliot said, kissing his wife as they laid down for bed. "Like you we're born to be a mother."

"Aren't all women?" she said smiling, nestling into his chest.

"No. You saw Casey with her – she couldn't settle her – she's made to be the aunty but not the mother, but you looked in your element…" And he trailed off, playing with Olivia's hair. "You want your own children, don't you?"

"I have thought about it… and… well… Would you hate me if I said I did? Even though I love Maureen and Kathleen and Dickie, I still want to feel a baby move inside me?"

"Of course not." He said, pulling her tightly into his side. "We're still young and I'm crazy in love with you. It could only make me love you more if we had a baby together."

"So, we can try then? I mean, I don't have an overwhelming need to have a baby but if it happens, I'd love to be a mother to my child, from the beginning." she said, resting her hand on his chest.

"Hey, I'd do what ever makes you happy, so if you want to stop taking those pills, go for it." And he kissed her passionately, pulling her on top of him.

"You want to practice now – before the pill's completely out of my system, don't you." She laughed, propping herself up on his chest, her hair falling like a curtain around them.

"Can you blame me?" he said, holding her close to him and she let her eyes flutter closed, laying her lips against his.

"Absolutely not." She said and Elliot smiled, pulling the sheets over them laughing as he began soft butterfly kisses down her neck.


	33. Chapter 34

Maureen, Kathleen and Dickie flew home a week and a half later after some quality time with their dad and Olivia, to Kathy's parents who were touched for the time with their grand children. Elliot finally had a week with just his wife (their friends having long returned to New York and Alex haven taken her family back to Wisconsin, awaiting future plans). Olivia had barely let Elliot leave her side and he was not complaining.

"Where are we going today?" he asked on their third to last morning in the island state.

"I don't want to leave the room." She said, wrapping her arms around his neck and Elliot smiled.

"Well, that kind of cuts in on my idea." He said and she furrowed her brow, wondering why any hot blooded man would turn down a woman, looking for sex.

"Oh?"

"I need you to pack your bags. I booked us on a cruise that takes us back to LA – our plane back to New York from there." He said and Olivia's eyes lit up.

"A cruise?" she said, pecking him on the lips and he nodded.

"It leaves in three hours, so, like I said sweetie, we need to pack." And he pulled her arms from around his neck and lifted their suitcases off the floor.

They were on the boat less than an hour later and on the deck pool twenty minutes later.

"Wow, honey, this is a perfect way to end our wedding celebrations." Olivia said, breaking through the surface of the water and planting a small kiss on his lips.

"Just us, three days, plenty of pool side cocktails and warm sunshine." He said, lifting her up onto the edge of the pool and resting his head on her knees. She ran her fingers through his hair and hooked her legs around his chest.

"I have to admit, I miss the kids a bit." And Elliot smiled.

"Hey – these last few days are just about us – no worries, no fuss – just us." And he pulled her back down into the water, kissing her firmly.

"I love you honey." Olivia said, "Hey, do you want to go back to our room?" she said with a flirtatious smile and she felt Elliot harden between her thighs.

He scooped her up and walked out of the pool, carrying her in front him to hide his growing problem.

"Elliot, honey," she said as he walked through the crowd.

"Yes?" he smiled as she lifted her head off his shoulder

"Run." And he grinned, picking up his pace as he ran up the stairs to their cabin. The moment they got inside, Elliot slammed the door and pushed Olivia up against it. Their lack of clothing made it easy and he scooped one of her breasts out of her bikini and suckled her. She screamed in pleasure and wrapped one of her legs around his hips, pushing at his swimming trunks, yearning for his skin against her.

He pulled the string of her bikini bottoms just as she managed to get his swimmers past his straining erection.

"Elliot, get inside me now!" she cried in an open mouthed kiss and he pushed up into her against the door, both of them moaning in pleasure.

"Oh, god!" he cried as her nails dug into his back to the point of drawing blood.

"I love you honey!" Olivia cried and she squealed as he moved her away from the door, roughly throwing her down on the bed. Only minutes later Olivia arched into Elliot's hips, her orgasm washing over her and Elliot emptied herself inside her.

"I love you babe." Elliot said, kissing her forehead as her breathing slowed from its frantic pants.

"Oh, I wish this could last forever." Olivia breathed, holding her husband close.

"Well, we have three days – just us."

"Just us." She whispered against his chest and they drifted off to sleep, still wrapped around each other.


	34. Chapter 35

Almost two months after Elliot and Olivia had gotten back from Hawaii and their kids had come home from their grandmothers, the summer holidays had started.

"Dad," Maureen said one night at the beginning of June on a particularly hot night over ice-cream. "Have you put in the deposit for my college application yet?"

"Yes, it's in. When do you find out from Hudson?" he said

"Two weeks time. My name is still down at Columbia too right?"

"Yes honey." He said as Olivia walked down into the kitchen where they were talking.

"College?" she said, sitting down and taking Elliot's spoon and hoeing into his desert.

"Yeah." She said, licking the back of her spoon.

"You'll get in – you just need to do all those SAT's preps over and over – that's what I did, and I got into Sienna." Olivia said, taking the empty bowls and putting them in the sink.

"I get it. Night – I'm heading to bed." And Maureen walked up stairs.

"Hot enough for you?" Elliot said as she paused at the freezer, putting the ice-cream away.

"Hey, I'm a winter sort of girl." She smiled, sitting down.

"What's up?" he said studying her face and she eyed him questioningly.

"What's what?" she said, watching him see past her eyes.

"No, I know that look – you have something you think you want to tell me, but your still not sure… what is it honey?" and she smiled, getting up off the stool and kissing him lightly.

"I'm late, and I've been feeling kind of queasy." Was her simple answer and Elliot's brow furrowed for a minute before realising what she was trying to tell him and a wide smile broke over his face.

"Really?" and he hugged her tightly.

"It's only a week." She said cautiously, returning the hug "But I figure that tomorrow, afternoon instead of coming home straight away, you and I could pick up a test from the pharmacy and see before the kids come home." And Elliot smiled, kissing her gently.

"Sounds like a plan, but its school holidays – the kids are all home."

"Your brother offered to take them out, remember? He called yesterday?"

"Oh right. Well then, that's perfect." He smiled, kissing her again pouring in more fire.

"Come on." Olivia said, pushing him away after a moment and she led him upstairs and climbed into bed. Elliot wrapped his arms possessively around her waist, his hands covering her own against her stomach.

"Goodnight honey." She said, snuggling against him.

"Night baby – both of you." And smiling they both drifted off to sleep.

"Ready to see?" Olivia said as the two of them sat at the kitchen table, stealing glances at the kitchen bench where the plastic stick drew both their gazes.

"Do you want to?" Elliot asked her, stroking her hair as she sat tentatively in his arms.

"Could you do it for me?" and he nodded getting up. He walked over to the bench and looked down at the test, his face impassive. "Well? What does it say?" she said anxiously, getting up and running over.

Elliot caught her and pulled her into a firm kiss before she reached the marble surface, spinning her round.

"I am?" and Elliot nodded, his wife clinging onto his neck as they spun around again.

"Your pregnant honey!" and tears shone through Olivia's eyes, her smile the only fixture that Elliot saw.

"It can't be more than three weeks." She said as he put her back on her feet and held her tightly.

"We can make an appointment now if you like, see for real." And she nodded, pulling out her address book and flipping through the pages for her OBGYN.

"Yes… It's Olivia here Maggie…" she said into the phone, Elliot recognising that she was talking to a close friend. "I need to make an appointment… as soon as possible… I tell you then…" and she covered the mouthpiece with her hand. "She can squeeze us in at four if we like." And Elliot nodded, snaking his arms around her waist. "Put us down – we'll see you in half an hour." And she hung up the phone.

"Half an hour and we get it completely confirmed then." Elliot said, pulling his jacket on and grabbing the car keys.

"I love you El." She said pausing on the threshold of the door and smiling at him "Thank you."

"For what?" he said, wrapping his arms around her.

"For giving me everything I ever wanted – you, a family – everything." And a few tears slid down her face. Elliot wiped them away and held out his hand to her which she gladly took. "I love you too." And they drove away.

Twenty minutes later they were at the family medical centre and Elliot followed his wife inside.

"Hey Maggie."

"Olivia!" the woman said in a slight Australian accent, coming out of an examination room, a clip board in hand. "Why the urgent appointment? You're not sick are you?" and she shook her head, pulling the plastic stick out of her hand bag and handing it too her, smiling.

"I did this less than an hour ago. Can you confirm it for me?" and the Australian woman smiled, hugging her from behind the counter.

"Come with me." And she picked up a fresh clipboard, leading Olivia round into the examination room.

"Elliot?" Olivia called and recognising his calling, he followed.

"Who's this Liv?" Maggie asked as she lay down on the table

"Oh, I'm sorry - Maggie, this is my husband, Elliot. Elliot, this is-"

"Dr Maggie Epps. I've been Olivia's doctor for years. Are you going to tell me that you didn't invite me to your wedding! Detective Benson, I'm shocked!"

"Stabler now." She smiled, pulling up her shirt so that the cool gel could be applied. "And Elliot here arranged for us to get married two months ago in Hawaii. There were just us and maybe ten other people."

"Wow." She said, moving the ultrasound wand across her lower abdomen. "You snagged a romantic one. Are you the same Elliot as in Liv's partner?"

"Well, we we're partners until we came out that we we're dating." He said, his eyes darting to the screen where a not so foreign noise to Elliot could be heard.

"What's that?" Olivia said, lifting her head off the table to see where the noise was coming from.

"Liv, that's your baby's heartbeat. You are indeed pregnant – Congratulations!"

"How many weeks?"

"I'd say four, putting your due date at about the 10th of February." And Olivia sat up, wiping her stomach with a tissue.

"Do I get to take a picture home?" and smiling sadly, Maggie shook her head.

"Honey, you can't see it without a magnifying glass for a few more weeks." Elliot said, wrapping his arms around her from behind and she leaned back into him.

"How do you know that?" the doc said and he looked up, momentarily confused.

"Oh, my late ex-wife and I had four kids. Three of them live with us now." He said, giving Olivia a squeeze as she watched the screen where the image had once been.

"What happened to the fourth?"

"She was killed in the car accident that killed her mother too." And a sad silence hung in the room.

"Well, congratulations, both of you." Maggie said and Olivia smiled as Elliot helped her off the table.

"Thanks Maggie." She said, giving her a proper hug. "And in compensation for not being able to come to our wedding, you can feel proud in knowing that you are the first person to know about the pregnancy, other that Elliot here." And the Australian smiled.

"How often do you want her to come back for checks?" Elliot asked.

"Every two months for the time being." She said, resorting to business and Olivia nodded, filling out another appointment card and putting pamphlets into her handbag.

"Congratulations again." Maggie said and, the long line of patients calling, she turned away, leaving the pair alone with the joyful news.

"We should get going. Maureen, Kathleen and Dickie will be home soon." Elliot said and she nodded, grinning broadly, and following him back out to the car.

"When do you want to tell them?" she asked, climbing into the passenger's seat.

"Tell who?" he said, still smiling just as widely as she was.

"The kids. Who, by the way will probably figure it out before long."

"All up to you." He said as they stopped at a set of lights. "If you want to tell them tonight, go for it."

"Then let's tell them tonight. It would be far less confronting for them to find out openly than one of them coming to hold my hair back if I'm throwing up with morning sickness."

"You are going to look beautiful pregnant."

"Swollen up like a balloon with no ankles and cravings for wasabi and frootloops?"

"And it won't make me love you any less." He said, pulling into their driveway, seeing Richard, Elliot's brother was already home.

"Hey, you guys all home?" Elliot cried as they walked through the door, dropping the keys in the bowl in the hall.

"Hey." Richard said, meeting them in the lounge. "Where were you guys? You said you'd be home when we got back."

"We'll tell you later – are you staying for dinner?" Olivia said, pulling off her jacket.

"Yeah – I ordered Thai. You can pay though." He said to his older brother.

"Dad! Olivia!" Kathleen cried in her usual flamboyant way as she came down the stairs. "Where were you?"

"We'll tell you at dinner. How was your day?" Olivia said

"Really good. Uncle Richard took us out on a boat." The young girl said, addressing her now mother. They continued chatting, Maureen and Dickie joining them a few minutes later as they got plates and cutlery out of the kitchen draws for dinner.

"So big brother – where we're you?" Richard said sitting down on the couch as Elliot flipped on the evening headlines.

"God, you can't wait twenty minutes, can you." And he shook his head, just as the doorbell rang.

"That's the food – get your wallet." And grumbling slightly, Elliot headed back down hall for the dinner.

"Who wanted chicken?" Olivia asked, opening one of the boxes and handing them out.

"I'm more interested in where you were still." Kathleen said, her uncle nodding.

"Well," she said, sitting down and taking a bite of beef, "I've been feeling sick so your dad took me to see my doctor."

"And we found out something very interesting." Elliot said, smiling at his wife from the opposite end of the table. All three kids and Richard were looking expectantly from one to the other and Olivia laughed, resting her head on her hands.

"I'm pregnant." And there was a deafening scream of joy.

"Congratulations sis." Richard said, getting up and kissing her on the cheek, as the three children wrapped themselves around her.

"Let her breathe." Elliot said, not able to contain his own smile as his children embraced the idea of a new sibling. Begrudgingly, they sat back down, eating again but their mouthfuls were interjected with questions.

"Didn't take you guys long. When are you due?" Richard said.

"Tenth of February." Elliot said as Olivia forked a piece of broccoli.

"Can you feel it move yet?" Dickie asked, some what nervously and shook her head.

"I won't be able to feel it for a few months. I'm only four weeks."

"Mom could feel it move." And the real issue she knew would come, arrived.

"You know what, big brother; I think this is a conversation unsuited to you. Come and have a beer with me in the living room." And without leaving room for him to protest, Richard dragged Elliot and beer out of the room.

"When your mom and her baby died, she wasn't far away from giving birth. I'll be able to feel it in about September I think." And the young boy nodded. The girls said nothing but knew where he was coming from. It was almost an unspoken comment in the room – that Olivia had well and truly replaced Kathy and that this baby would take Liz's place.

"I don't want to usurp the place your mom has in your hearts." She said, a few tears sliding down her face.

"Olivia, you are not mom, but we love you just as much as we did her." Maureen said, finding her words and handing her a tissue. "I think we all just feel that, seeing you now that you're pregnant, makes us think about what life would have been like if mom and Liz and the baby had never died."

"I'm sorry." She said but Dickie got up from the table and wrapped his arms around her.

"You are as good a mom as we could hope for since mom isn't here. You'll be a great mom to the baby." He said and Olivia was overcome. She held the boy so tightly, that if his sisters hadn't come to join in the embrace she may well have suffocated him.

"So," said Kathleen a few minutes later once she had let them all go. "Is it a boy or a girl?" and they laughed.

"We're they alright?" Elliot said later that night as he and Olivia got into bed.

"Mixed emotions I think. They're happy for us and really excited to have a new brother or sister, but at the same time, see it from their point of view. I'm now their mother and pregnant – like Kathy when she died."

"Take it as a complement honey." He said and she turned to face him, confused. "They really see you as their mom." And she nodded, kissing him as she climbed under the covers, pulling out the novel she had been reading earlier that week.

"Do you know when you want to tell the others? Cragen and our friends? And my parents?" Elliot said as he lay beside his wife, his hand tracing small circles on her navel.

"Maybe around the two month mark? At the end of the month? Because you know I'd have to go on restrictive duties when I start to show, sooner if Cragen has anything to say about it."

"And me – I'd kill myself if anything happened to you. You and my kids are my world."

"Your going to be one of those pushy fathers who want to keep the mother in a pillow lined box."

"Not pillow lined… bubble wrap maybe." And she whacked him lightly on the arm.

"Do you think we'll have a little boy or girl?" she said, putting her book away and resting her hands atop Elliot's.

"I don't care, as long as it's healthy."

"Didn't you ever guess with the others?"

"Well, yeah – but Kathy was the one who guessed right each time."

"What do you want though?" Olivia asked, nestling closer to him.

"A baby that looks just like its mother – that's all I can ask for." And he kissed her lightly, letting sleep overcome them.


	35. Chapter 36

A few weeks later – only days before Olivia and Elliot had planned to tell their friends of her pregnancy, Olivia found herself in court, waiting to testify against a rapist she and the rest of the squad had chased for at least two months before they finally caught him.

"So, Casey, what tricks do you think he'll throw at us?"

"I'm not sure – I've never met his lawyer. You did, didn't you – when you interrogated him?" she asked and Olivia shrugged.

"He didn't speak – he wrote notes and made sure they were hidden from me. Let his client do all the talking."

"Well, he's definitely talking today. Hey – did I tell you that Alex is sitting second chair today?"

"Really?" the female detective said, oblivious to the game of footsie her male counterparts were playing.

"Yeah, just to get back into the swing of things before she looks at her options. I tell you – between the two of us, we cant loose."

"I second that." Liv said as the court officer ordered them all inside.

"Members of the Jury" the judge began "what we are facing here is six counts of rape in the first degree – a heinous crime in anyone's eyes, maybe more so since these rapes were against young teenagers - children. What we are here to do though is sort the fact from fiction. So, if you bear that in mind, prosecution, you may call your first witness." And nodding Casey stood to begin. Olivia sat back in silence listening to her colleagues explain just how they had come to link DeMons to the crime but she knew that the defence was likely to hound her. She had made the arrest while Fin chased down another lead – neither of them having expected to simply catch the suspect in Central park while Olivia was on her lunch break. They had had very little proof at the time as to if he was a suspect and she knew her judgement would come under severe fire.

"The people call Detective Olivia Stabler to the stand." Casey said a few moments later, dragging Olivia out of her silent ponderings and she stood, adjusting her court suit and taking a seat in the stand.

"Do you swear to tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth, so help you God?" the court officer asked as she sat.

"I do." And Casey began her questioning.

"Detective, on the morning of May 20th did you have any leads in what had come to be called the "Mall Rapist"?"

"Very few. We knew from a few of the victims that their attacker was a Caucasian male with brown hair and thick black glasses. We also knew from the victims' statements that their attacker seemed to be an educated man who knew their movements quite well. We suspected that he worked in the mall where the victims were grabbed and had access to pertinent personal information."

"And how many suspects did that leave you with?"

"Well, not counting employees at the stores, only managers who had access to the records, we concluded that there were twelve viable suspects."

"Was the defendant one of those suspects?"

"Yes he was." She said, nodding slightly in his direction, conscious that the jurors were watching her actions.

After another fifteen minutes or so of probing Casey concluded her questions for her and, Alex nodding her own satisfaction, the defence stood up and started pacing backwards and forth across the court room floor.

"Your witness."

"Detective, why did you arrest my client when you saw him at Central Park?" He asked, not looking at her.

"We had sufficient evidence to believe he was a suspect. He had the access to the private information and he matched the general description that the victims had given us."

"But why instead of just inviting him to come in for questioning did you arrest my client on flimsy charges."

"The defendant became aggravated and violent when I asked him come down to the station and explain his whereabouts. He lashed out with his umbrella, knocking a mother and her baby to the ground, breaking the woman's arm. It appears he was trying to attack me but since his aim was pretty poor, he hit an innocent bystander instead." She half smiled and the lawyer sharply looked up.

"Detective Benson, do you think you would have arrested my client if you were not pregnant yourself – about to imitate the woman and child he allegedly knocked to the ground?"

Olivia looked up at the lawyer who was smiling slightly and across to Alex and Casey who were like fish – their mouths opening and closing in shock.

"Objection your honour!" Casey called after a few silent seconds "The detective's condition has no relevance to the trial."

"I disagree your honour – it was Detective Stabler's own decision that resulted in the incarceration of my client. The jury has a right to know if her decision making was impaired by her condition." He said, smirking at Casey who was still clearly shocked.

"I'm going to allow it but you are on thin ice Mr Lucy. The detective is not on trial." The judge said and Olivia sighed, resigning to the question. "Detective?"

"I did not even know that I was pregnant at the time so the condition could not have effected my judgement. None the less, it does not change the fact that he effectively assaulted the woman and could have cause serious harm to the baby. It was on that basis that I arrested him."

"How did he know that I was pregnant?" Olivia exclaimed in shock once she had finished her testimony and the judge had dismissed court for the day.

"How did he know and we didn't is the more pressing question." Alex said, smiling, giving her friend a hug. "Congratulations."

"Thanks" she smiled. "I do promise though, Elliot and I were going to tell you all at the end of the month."

"Hey, I believe you." Casey said, walking up to them and embracing her friend as well.

"When are you due?" Alex asked, the three of them sitting down at the tables outside the court house.

"February 10th. How did that lawyer know? I'm only two months along!" she cried and Casey patted her on the back.

"Fin and Munch are finding out for you and they're going to arrest him if there is even a spot on his record or methods." She said as Alex got up to collect the coffees they had ordered.

"This is so exciting Liv. When did you find out?" Alex said, sitting back down and distributing the beverages.

"Five weeks ago. We told the kids and Elliot's brother the day we found out though – it would have been a bit hard to hide morning sickness from them."

"Have much?" Casey asked, well aware that she was neither married nor a mother like the others were.

"Let's just say I had to get up twenty minutes early for puking so I wasn't late this morning." And they both smiled.

"You can borrow some of Becca's things if you like – she'll be bigger by then and I won't need things like her bassinet."

"Thanks Alex." She smiled, and glancing at her watch, she downed the rest of the coffee, standing up.

"I have to pick up the girls from school. I'll ring Fin and see what he has."

"Take care Olivia." Casey said and she waved, pulling out her keys.

"Tutuola" Fin barked, answering his phone as Olivia drove down Park Avenue.

"Fin, its Liv."

"Oh hey – congratulations by the way. Munch says so too."

"Thank you. Listen, have you told Cragen?"

"Me, no. Figured you wanted to tell him yourself, but you'd better do it tomorrow because I don't think Munch can hold it in that long." And she laughed, hearing something being thrown at Fin down the line. "Hey, Munch, if you're going to throw stuff at me then at least aim."

"Keep me posted please on how that lawyer found out for me, will you?"

"Yeah, we're looking into it." And exchanging the niceties, they hung up, just as Olivia pulled up at the school.


	36. Chapter 37

"Elliot, do you have some time tomorrow to come and see Cragen with me?" Olivia asked later that night after dinner.

"Yeah, I can make some. You want to tell him?"

"Yep and it's imperative that I do it tomorrow."

"Why?" he said, passing her a clean dish he had just washed up for her to dry.

"Don't freak OK, because Munch and Fin are on it."

"What is it babe?" he said with more urgency, leaning against the sink.

"When I was on the stand today in court, the defence knew I was pregnant and tried to use it against me."

"What? That son of a bit-"

"Elliot, language!" and he banged his fist down on the bench.

"How?"

"I don't know, that's why Munch and Fin are finding out. They were in the court room and I wasn't going to commit purgery on the stand by denying it."

"What a way for them to find out. I take it Casey and Alex were there too?" and she nodded.

"You know as well as I do they won't keep quiet – we need to tell Cragen Tomorrow."

"Sure." He said, still quivering in anger, but he picked up the dish again and resumed washing.

"Honey, you don't have to come if you don't want to. I asked because Don is still fond of you and I thought it might be nice to tell him together."

That next morning, Elliot managed to get a late start and he headed down to SVU to meet up with Olivia.

"Ready?" he said, kissing her gently and she nodded, getting up.

"He's in his office and thank god Munch and Fin aren't here yet."

"Well let's go tell him our good news." And he led her inside.

"Jeez Elliot, did you forget how to knock up in homicide?" Cragen said, looking up suddenly at the snap of the door.

"Something like that." He said with a smile.

"Captain, I have some news for you." Olivia said, sitting down, Elliot leaning behind her.

"You're not thinking of leaving are you? Is that why you brought back up?"

"No, I'm not leaving. Not yet." She said and Cragen looked from face to face, confused.

"Olivia's pregnant Don. We're going to have a baby."

"Congratulations!" he said, moving around from the desk and giving her a hug and shaking Elliot's hand. "When are you due?"

"February." She smiled and she laughed as Cragen squeezed Elliot, noting that both we're unable to hide their joy.

"Congratulations!" he said again and letting go of Elliot he embraced his favourite detective again. "Who else knows?"

"Well, Munch, Fin, Alex and Casey all know because it came out in court yesterday." She said "Munch and Fin are dealing with it." She added, seeing that he was about to splutter. "Its covered." And she sat down again.

"Now you have to be her boss again." Elliot stipulated, putting his hands on Olivia's shoulders and Cragen moved back around his desk.

"I know that now that you know what my little secret was, you have to put me on desk duty." She said, covering Elliot's hands with her own, seeing her CO smile.

"I'll have to look up the rules for you. I've never had a detective fall pregnant on me – remember you are only the third woman I have ever had under my chain of command."

"Just let me know what we have to do." She said, standing up as she glanced at the clock on the wall. "Honey, you told your captain you'd be back by now." And he kissed her swiftly, waving good bye and running back upstairs.

"Ready to be a grand-pa Don?" Olivia said as he moved to leave his office with her. "What? You've been the closest thing to a father I've ever had. As far as I am concerned, you are my baby's maternal grand-father." And he gave her another hug, trying with all his might not to let the emotion over come him. "Do you want to tell the rest of our squad?" and he smiled, walking out into the now busy precinct.

"Hey, listen up!" he called and the twenty or so people in the room looked up. "I have an announcement – Michael – you won the bet. Our Liv here is pregnant, due in February." And she was inundated with yet more congratulatory sentiments.

"Oh, Liv," Fin said walking up to her a minute later and she looked up hopeful that he had found out just how the lawyer knew before she did.

"You found something?"

"The lawyer's wife works in the same medical centre that you went to. She saw your picture in his files and recognised you."

"She's not a doctor is she, so doctor patient confidentiality isn't broken."

"Sorry Liv. Your friend Maggie fired her though." And with a satisfactory smile, she sat down at her desk.


	37. Chapter 38

A few months later, as the weather turned colder at the end of October, Elliot found himself home earlier than he would have usually been.

"Liv? Are you home?" he called, peaking into the office as he walked down the hall.

"In the living room – come here." Her voice said back and he walked down, seeing her lying on the couch – the slight roundness of her belly standing proud above her. She was smiling, her hands running over the bump.

"How did you get home before me?" he asked sitting down and playing with her hair.

"Court." And silently, she took Elliot's hand, moving it over her stomach.

A wide smile broke over his face as he felt the faint flutters through her shirt.

"When did this start?" he said, following the movements with his hand.

"About two hours ago, when I was leaving court. I just came straight home – I've been lying here ever since." She said, looking up at him and smiling. Shifting slightly, she laid her head in Elliot's lap and they both covered the slight protrusion with their hands.

"This is everything you ever wanted – isn't it."

"You, me, a family…" and she nodded, closing her eyes, just feeling the movements.

"Anyone home?" a voice said a little while later and Elliot looked up, seeing that his daughters were home and that his wife had fallen asleep in his arms.

"Dickie has soccer practice – you said you'd pick him up this morning." Kathleen said, dumping her school bag and flopping down in a chair.

"Hey, quiet – she's asleep." He said, nodding at Olivia who still subconsciously ran her hand over her stomach. "Do you girls want to start some dinner while I get today's sleeping beauty up?"

"Sure dad."

"There some hamburger patties in the freezer. You can cook those." And the girls disappeared into the kitchen.

"Liv?" Elliot said, shaking her slightly.

"Five more minutes." She mumbled, turning into his lap, burying his face.

"Honey, the girls are home." He said, shaking her more vigorously. She cracked open an eye and shielded them from the light above her. "They're making hamburgers" and she sat up, stretching her hands above her head.

"How long was I asleep?"

"A couple of hours. I've got to go pick up Dickie from soccer. I'll be back in twenty minutes." And she nodded, kissing him lightly as he got up, smiling as he walked out of the room.

"Did your dad tell you what happened today?" Olivia said, walking into the kitchen and the girls looked up, Maureen shaking her head.

"I felt the baby start kicking."

"Oh my God – that's great!" Kathleen said, flipping a burger so exuberantly that it flipped out of the pan, and they both reached out to feel the flutters themselves.

"Its not moving now." She smiled, sitting down and they reluctantly pulled away, turning back to the dinner.

"Do you think it's a boy or a girl?" Maureen asked, pulling salad out of the fridge.

"I don't know – why, do you two have a book on that too?"

"Just a friendly competition." Kathleen said. "I think it's a girl. Maureen says a boy."

"Well, you'll have to wait till February to find out." She smiled.


	38. Chapter 39

As Christmas came round, Olivia's baby was kicking strongly and soundly as they sat round the Christmas tree, watching snow flurries trickle past the window. It was their first Christmas without Kathy and Liz and their absence cut through the family, ironically, bringing them all together. They had spent Christmas Eve at Kathy's parents' house so they could spend time with their grandchildren and amid distributing gifts and making polite small talk about Olivia's baby, there was a sad silence, recognising that it was the first Christmas without Kathy and Liz.

Later that night, once the kids were asleep, Olivia sat down on the couch, lazily watching Elliot as he pulled gifts out of their hiding spot, placing them under the tree.

"I'm sorry it was so awkward this evening." She said, moving her hand over her stomach to where she felt the flutters.

"It's alright. Honestly, I don't think that Judy and Norm are ever going to warm to me or you because of their daughter." And she nodded, sitting up to let Elliot flop into the seat beside her. "Did the guys confirm Tomorrow?"

"Cragen, Munch and Casey are all coming over for Lunch. Fin is with his family, and Alex is going back to Wisconsin to be with her husband's family. Did your parents confirm?"

"They're going to be here at nine and Richard is going to be here at twelve." He smiled, pulling his wife slightly so that her head was lying in his lap.

Elliot ran her hand across Olivia's belly and her eyes closed gently, feeling him try to bond with his unborn child.

"You know, we have to start coming up with names, planning a nursery – the works. There is just over a month to go." She said.

"We can start after Christmas. The only question is what colour to paint it." He smiled but Olivia whacked the back of his hand lightly.

"No – not till its born." She said, knowing that he was desperate to find out if it was a boy or girl. "You know, about the name though…" and Elliot kissed the top of her head. "If we have a girl, I wanted to give her Elizabeth as a middle name."

"After Liz?" and she nodded. "I love the idea."

"I thought it would be a good way to honour her memory."

"Honey, I love you." And he ran his fingers through her hair.

"Do you mind if we just crash here on the couch? Your lap is comfortable and the kids are going to wake up in a few hours."

"Sleep sweetheart. I'm right here." And he sat in silence, coaxing his wife to sleep.

The next morning, Elliot woke up to the sound of his children running down the stairs and he groaned, looking at his watch, noting the pre-dawn light.

"Merry Christmas daddy!" Maureen said, skidding at the bottom of the stairs, freezing as she saw Olivia still asleep.

"Mo, why don't you go and make some coffee. That might wake her up." And the young woman smiled, heading into the kitchen, her siblings, waiting expectantly on the floor.

"Dad, can we start?" Dickie asked, reaching for a present.

"No. You know the rules – not till everyone is here and awake." He said and his son reluctantly put the gift down.

"Liv?" Elliot said shaking her shoulders slightly but his wife simply rolled into him, swatting his hand away. Kathleen laughed as she watched her and Elliot rolled his eyes, running his hands through her hair. "Come on honey, the kids are waiting to open presents."

"Five more minutes." She groaned and he bent down, kissing her gently. Her hands moved up to cup her face and the kids laughed as their father pulled away, watching Olivia try to reach for his face.

"Rise and shine sleepy head." He said as Maureen came back into the room with two mugs of coffee.

"Dad, can we start now?" Dickie said again as Olivia sat up, taking a large gulp of the brow liquid, nursing the mug in her hands and Elliot nodded, chaos breaking loose.

Two hours, countless gifts and a brief pause for the girls to feel the baby playing soccer with its mother's stomach, Elliot's parents arrived through the snow.

"Grandma!" Maureen cried, as she answered the door, flinging her arms around her.

"Hello darling, Merry Christmas." She said, walking through the door, her husband following her inside.

"Hey mom, dad." Elliot said, getting up off the couch and embracing them.

"Elliot, how are you?"

"I'm good. Having a good Christmas so far?"

"It's always better when we're with family." His mother said, moving into the living room and sitting down beside Olivia as she and Kathleen put the shredded wrapping paper in the garbage bag.

"Ruth, Merry Christmas." She said, as they kissed each other's cheek.

"Same to you. How are you feeling?" and she knew she was referring to the baby.

"It's getting a bit uncomfortable but I wouldn't trade it for anything." Olivia smiled, pulling her mother-in-laws hands over the spot where she could feel the child kicking.

It was a thoroughly enjoyable morning, as a family between gifts and preparing the traditional lunch. It was a form of quality time for Olivia with her mother-in-law and the girls, all four of them dividing out the tasks, singing along to Christmas carols as they mashed potatoes and stirred the cranberry sauce.

"It will all be ready in about half an hour. Your brother's late by the way." Olivia said as Elliot came in with a grumbling stomach, asking how much longer it would take.

"He rang – said between the snow and Christmas traffic he should have left an hour earlier."

"Oh, well, he should be here just as we're sitting down for lunch then." She smiled, the grin faltering though as she winced.

"You OK?"

"Yeah. I think your baby is hungry though, because it keeps kicking me."

"Just like its daddy." He said, running his hand over the bulge, breaking apart as the doorbell rang.

"Who do you think it is?" she said and Elliot shrugged his shoulders.

"No matter who, we know the kids are going to go crazy cause they'll get more presents." And smiling he turned around heading to answer the door.

By one o'clock, Cragen, Munch, Casey and Richard had all arrived and were sitting jovially around the table with the Stabler family. The hours ticked by as they smiled across the table, eating far too much food and, bar Olivia and the kids, drinking a little too much. As night fell and the snow started falling more heavily, Elliot's family, Munch and Casey, all headed home, Cragen staying briefly.

"You know I never got the chance to give you your Christmas present." He said, sipping at the coffee Olivia had offered him moments before.

"Oh yeah?" Elliot asked as the three of them sat down on the couch.

"Mmmm. It's in the back of my car if you want it now."

"Too big to bring inside?" Olivia asked laughing but it subsided as he nodded.

"Don what could you have possibly bought that is so big – in fact why did you buy anything. We told you that your company was enough."

"Come with me." And he led them outside.

Opening the trunk of his car, Cragen pulled out the large box – Elliot helping him to stand it up and manoeuvre it out.

"It's a crib." He said with a smile and Olivia's face beamed back as she threw her arms around his neck.

"Oh my God, Don!" she said, releasing him after a moment.

"You mentioned the other day at the precinct that you thought you and Elliot should get a move on and start planning for this baby, so I thought I'd give you a start."

"Wow. This is… wow." Elliot said.

"Hey, you take care of this baby. I'm looking forward to being a grand-pa." and they all laughed, Olivia embracing him again, tensing after a moment.

"You OK?" Don asked, letting her go.

"Yeah. Someone has the hiccups I think." She smiled, pulling both Elliot and Don's hands onto her stomach.

"You both better go back inside. The snow's falling hard." He said pulling his coat a little tighter as he closed the boot.

"Merry Christmas Don. I'll see you in the New Year." Olivia said, her hands closing over her stomach.

"Thanks for the crib." Elliot added again as Don closed his car door, waving goodbye.

"Well, we have the start then." Olivia said as Elliot pulled the box inside.

"Start?"

"Start setting up the baby's room."

"What room should we put it in?" he asked, leaning the crib against the wall.

"I'd like it if it was in the room next to ours, but that's Dickie's room."

"Well, we can ask him if he wants to move into the spare room – it is bigger after all."

"Well, we'll ask him Tomorrow and see if he is happy to move." She said, sitting down on the couch, watching the snow fall outside the window.

"Still have the hiccups?" Elliot asked and Olivia nodded.

"Baby has them almost every day now." She smiled

"Not long now." He said, kissing her gently.

"No." she said with a yawn and Elliot scooped her up in a fireman's lift, carrying her up stairs.

"Elliot, I'm too heavy for you – we're too heavy."

"Your as light as a feather." He breathed, laying her gently on their bed as they reached their room. "I love you honey. Merry Christmas."

"Merry Christmas to you too." She said, pulling him down beside her and his hands around her waist, both of them drifting off to sleep.


	39. Chapter 40

As January arrived, Dickie had joyfully moved into the downstairs room and Elliot found himself one afternoon in the middle of the month on his day off, sitting on the floor in the baby's room, a paint roller in his hand, admiring the work he had done to the soft apple green walls.

"Wow dad this looks good." Maureen said walking in and handing him a glass of water.

"Think Liv will like it?"

"I'm sure she will, but don't decorate it till you know if it's a boy or a girl."

"I wasn't going to." He said, accepting the glass and wiping his brow.

"Dad, you've got paint on your head."

"I'll wash it off later." He shrugged, getting up and opening the window, making sure the flyscreen was secure and walking out the room, closing the door.

"So, getting excited?" the young woman said as they walked downstairs together.

"Of course. Just like I was before you were born, and Kathleen and the twins." He said, putting his arm around her shoulder.

"Dad, you're getting paint on me!" she squealed ducking away and he laughed as his phone started to ring.

"Stabler." He said, flipping it open.

"El, it's me. We just caught a case over here and I have all these files to go through. I'm going to be late."

"No worries, I'll look after the kids, you just look after our baby." He said with a smile but he heard her sigh from the other end. "Something wrong?"

"I have less than a week left and then I'm on my maternity leave. I just wish I didn't have to spend it locked up here sifting through years of phone records and bank details."

"Would it go faster if you had help?" he asked.

"I think I could be done by midnight if I did." She sighed and Elliot smiled into the receiver.

"I'll tell Maureen that she's in charge. I'll come help."

"Elliot, you don't have to." She said quickly.

"Liv, I couldn't think of anything better to do than spend time with my beautiful wife, even if it is over paper work."

"El, honey,"

"I'll see you in twenty minutes." And he hung up the phone. "You hear that Mo?"

"You might want to take a quick shower before you leave." She smiled and looking at his paint stained shirt, he dashed up the stairs.

It was only fifteen minutes later that Elliot walked into the SVU precinct to find Olivia with her feet up on her desk, using her belly as a second bench to support the files she was reading.

"Hey sweetheart." He said, kissing her passionately, catching her off guard.

"Elliot." She smiled, following him with her eyes as he sat down at Fin's desk.

"Where is everyone else?"

"Don's in his office, John is in interrogation and Fin is out looking for one of our suspects." She yawned, looking over to where the clock was approaching seven.

"What's case?"

"Did you see the Ryan murders on the news?" she asked and Elliot nodded. "Those ones. We have about thirty suspects, all with motive for killing the Judge's wife and sons, but nothing matches up. Don thought that there might be something in here." She said, indicating to the boxes on the floor beside her desk.

"Many hands make light work." He said, picking up one of the boxes and placing it on the desk, pulling out the paper and beginning to read.

The dull work made the clock tick slowly, the only pauses being when Cragen poked his nose out of his office to check their progress and when Munch walked like a Zombie towards the cribs.

"He looks awful."

"Yeah, Don's been good to me, sending me home to sleep but everyone else has hasn't had a break in ages." She said, turning a page. "You have paint on your ear by the way."

"I was painting the baby's room. I thought that since we don't know if it's a boy or a girl, I'd paint it an asexual colour. I chose green."

"The green paint I bought last week?" and he nodded. "That was to re-paint the lounge." And Elliot's face dropped, fearful of the raging hormones that had been known to lash out at him.

"Honey, I'm sorry. I'll buy more paint if you like."

"No, its ok. It might look nice." She conceded, eyeing the paint colour on his ear.

It was one am when they finally finished sorting through the papers and Olivia yawned, her eyes closed and the papers fell off her belly.

"Olivia, honey?" Elliot said, standing up wearily and stretching his arms above her head.

"Mmmm?" she said, not opening her eyes.

"Cragen said that you could take the morning off. I'm going to take you home."

"I have court tomorrow. So do you – the joint investigation we ran six months ago – remember? We were called as witnesses for the defence though I'm not sure why." she breathed, still not opening her eyes.

"Right." He said and he scooped her up in his arms, carrying her out to the car.

"Thanks for your help honey."

"Any time." And he kissed the top of her head as he placed her in the seat.


	40. Chapter 41

The next morning Olivia woke up, momentarily confused to find herself at home and in bed.

"Hey." Elliot said, kissing her as he handed her a mug of tea.

"What time is it?"

"A little after seven. I thought you might want to shower before we have to head into court."

"Oh, god. Right." She said, struggling to get out of bed before Elliot lent her his hands.

"Can't see your feet?" he joked but he immediately regretted it when he saw the flash of anger in her face.

"Are you saying that I'm fat?"

"No, of course not." He said, watching the reaction in her face and she sat down on the bed.

"I'm sorry Elliot; it's just getting so uncomfortable."

"I get it. Come on. You can jump in the shower and I'll show you the baby's room before we leave." He said and with a smile, she stood up again, walking into the bathroom and turning the shower on.

By eight am they were sitting outside the court room, waiting for their turn in to testify, Alex sitting with them, bouncing Rebecca on her knee.

"I bet you can't wait for that baby to be born." She said, noting how her friend kept shifting in discomfort.

"Well, there's only three weeks left." She smiled, "Why do you have Becca today?"

"Greg is in Washington DC for the week and the day care that Will is in won't take her until she's eighteen months old. Fortunately I didn't schedule any court dates this week, so instead of getting our nanny to look after her, we thought we'd spend some time together." Alex smiled bouncing the almost nine month old on her knee, the child laughing at the motion.

"Judge March or Mommy." Elliot smiled as Olivia leaned into his side.

"I know you know what it's like Elliot but Liv, you are about to embark on the best journey you'll ever take."

"Detective E Stabler?" the court officer called, poking his head out the door a few seconds later.

"That's me. See you in a little while." He said, kissing Olivia and walking inside.

"You know Liv; you have to let us throw you a baby shower at some stage." Alex said, getting up and taking Elliot's seat.

"Well if you want to, you can do something at our house on the weekend." She said, pulling her day planner out, knowing that Alex would never drop the subject.

"Sunday. I'll call some people and we'll all give you presents, we'll eat food, I'll bring the kids for Maureen and Kathleen to play with..." And she nodded, laughing as Rebecca tried to stand on her mother's lap, using Olivia's belly as a support.

"Rebecca looks just like you Alex." She said cupping the girl's cheek and making her giggle.

"You think? I always saw more of Greg in her."

"Nah, she's going to grow up to be just as beautiful as her mother."

"Well, you just wait – it's a well known fact; daughters look like their mothers, sons look like their fathers. Still telling me that you don't know if it's a boy or a girl?"

"No. We're waiting till its born." She smiled, pulling her shirt down slightly, trying to stop it creeping up against the strain of the bump as the court officer came back out.

"Meet you for lunch after?"

"Course." And she stood up, seeing Elliot next to the officer.

"Elliot. Everything go OK?"

"Yeah, just be careful. The defence attorney attacked my credibility because you worked on the same case as me."

"Got it." And she walked calmly towards the stand.

"Detective Stabler, or would you prefer Mrs?" the lawyer asked with a malicious grin.

"You called me here as a detective, not a civilian." She said and the lawyer nodded.

"Now then, detective." He said, the venom dripping off his voice. "You did the majority of the desk work that led to the arrest of my client, didn't you?"

"Yes, that's correct."

"Would you tell the jury here, what you found."

"I found credit card receipts and phone records indicating that the defendant was in the vicinity immediately before and after the attacks on Sara Welsh and Wendy Parker."

"Was my client the only person in the vicinity at the time of the attacks?"

"No, he wasn't but-"

"So, my client was one of hundreds of people that could have attacked these girls."

"No other person had a motive, and I might indicate, the defendant's credit card records indicate that he bought the murder weapon just minutes before the attacks." And there was a murmur from the jury.

"Detective, did you focus on my client because your husband had fixated on him as a suspect?" the lawyer asked and Olivia's brow furrowed.

"I resent the implication that I would compromise a case just because detective Stabler had reason to believe that your client had a reason for killing her."

"Detective, please answer the question."

"Though the two squads were combined for this particular case, my husband and I had minimal professional contact to prevent any contamination of this case on personal grounds. To such end, and because of my pregnancy, I stayed in the precinct sorting through files while detective Stabler was out in the streets."

"But didn't you attend the meetings where your husband blatantly indicated that he thought my client was responsible?"

"The paper trail doesn't lie, it could not have been compromised by any relation I had with other people working on the case." And the lawyer's face dropped, seeing there was no way he could get around her.

"Nothing further." He said in angered voice, sitting back down at his desk, whispering furiously to his client.

"I have no questions for this witness." The prosecutor said and the Judge nodded.

"We'll take a one hour recess. See you after lunch everyone." And he stood up, walking out the room.

"Don't you hate it that they keep trying to pit us against each other?" Elliot said walking up to the stand to help Olivia out of the box.

"Doesn't work so I don't care." She said with a smile and they walked out together. "I promised Alex we'd do lunch together."

"OK, lets go." And they walked to the café at the end of the building.

Later that night, Olivia stretched out on the floor in front of the TV, Maureen and Kathleen sitting beside her, their hands over her stomach.

"That was Don." Elliot said walking into the lounge, hanging up the phone. "He said you can start your leave now that the Ryan case is closed."

"Good." She breathed, putting her hand behind her head. "I'll miss it but it's getting hard to walk."

"You get to go back when you want." He said, sitting down on the floor beside her, kissing the top of her head.

"How long do you get to take off work?" Maureen asked, reaching for the remote to change the TV channel.

"I can take up to a year off." She said, lifting her head off the floor and resting it in Elliot's lap.

"Alex said she wants to give us a baby shower on Sunday." She said after a few moments and Dickie rolled his eyes from the couch, his focus fixated on American Idol.

"Do I get to come or do you want me to go out with Dickie?"

"Please, dad, can we go to a movie or something?"

"Sure." He said, recognising his son's overwhelming desire not to be inundated once again by the overwhelming femineity.

"Alex said that she would bring Will and Becca over too, so you girls can play with them if you like." And their faces lit up.

"Are you two going to be just excited when you're living with a baby full time?" Elliot asked, his daughters throwing him a malicious look.

"Are you?" Kathleen said and he rolled his eyes, grabbing the remote off Dickie and switching it to the news.

"OK, girls, help me up. I have to go to the bathroom again." Olivia said, struggling to sit up and they laughed helping their step mother to her feet.

"You know, you guys should get to bed – its school tomorrow." Elliot said, knowing as well that the financial report would quickly clear out the room.

"Dad, do we have to?" Maureen groaned, trying to pull her weight as the eldest.

"Lord knows you won't win this argument. Bed." He said, pointing at the clock where it was approaching eleven. His children sighed, retreating to their separate rooms and Elliot headed up stairs where Olivia was still barricaded in the bathroom.

"Are you OK honey?" he asked, leaning against the door to their en-suite.

"Can you help me up?" she cried through the door and laughing, he walked inside to see her clutching at the bench, trying to get to her feet. He held her under the arms and pulled her up and she fell against him, breathing hard.

"I think you can dispense with underwear till after the baby is born. It looks hard enough." And she smiled weakly, letting him pull her dress down.

"Come on sweetheart. Lets get you into bed." He said, guiding her to their bed and pulling her dress over her head, handing her the night gown from between the pillows. She lifted her arms wearily above her head, letting Elliot slip the cotton fabric over her head. He knelt down beside her as the material past her head and he saw tears run down her face. "Honey, what's wrong?"

"This is just getting so unpleasant." She sighed, laying down, putting a pillow between her legs.

"Here." Elliot said and he climbed up beside her, massaging small circles in her back.

"Oh, that feels so good." She moaned, closing her eyes, letting his touches absorb her.

"I'm sorry your in so much pain." He said, wiping the sweat off her brow, tucking her hair behind her ear. "I'd help you if I could."

"You are helping." Olivia breathed, clutching the front of her stomach.

"Try and get some sleep honey." He said and she nodded, closing her eyes, the two of them drifting into an uneasy sleep.


	41. Chapter 42

The next morning, Elliot woke up to find Olivia already awake, trying to get out of bed and make it to the bathroom.

"Need some help?" he asked and she nodded, holding out her hands for him to pull her up. "How are you feeling this morning?"

"Like a bloated whale." She groaned, waddling back into their bedroom a minute later.

"I really am sorry." And Olivia smiled weakly knowing his guilt was genuine.

"Are you working today?"

"Just for a little while. I'll be home as soon as I can." He said and she nodded, walking down the stairs as Elliot got dressed.

"How are you going Olivia?" Kathleen asked as she sat at the table shovelling cereal into her mouth.

"All I can say is I'm waiting for this baby to be born, rather than dreading it."

"Do you think it will come early, spare you pain?" she wondered aloud as her sister came running down the stairs.

"Only if I'm lucky." She grumbled, pulling the tea out and brewing a cup. "You guys better go, or you'll be late for school."

"Kay. See you this afternoon." Maureen said, grabbing a piece of toast as the three of them ran to meet the bus.

"You too Elliot. The sooner you go, the sooner you can come home."

"Sure you're alright by yourself?"

"Alex is coming over with Becca in about an hour. I think I can manage till then." She smiled, resting her hands on his chest.

"I'll come home the second I can." And nodding, she kissed him, chivvying him out the door.

No sooner had Elliot left; Olivia waddled into the living room and sat down, resisting the urge to scream as her baby made it impossible to get comfortable. She spent an hour shifting about on the couch and almost gratefully she got up to answer the phone.

"Hello?"

"Liv," came Alex's voice. "We're running a little late. Will refused to eat any breakfast so we got a slow start."

"That's fine. See you when you get here."

"I'll bring round some food."

"OK. See you soon."

"Bye!" and Alex hung up the phone.

She put the phone down and doubled over in pain, a damp sensation trickling down her legs. "Oh shit." She said, clutching her stomach and staring at the puddle on the floor. Quickly she picked up the phone again, starting to dial.

"Elliot?"

"Liv, I told you I would come home as soon as I could."

"No, it's not that." She said, tears running down her eyes. "My water just broke."

"What?" he said and Olivia could practically hear him having to sit down.

"My water broke. The baby's coming." And the line went silent. "ELLIOT !"

"I'm coming honey. I'll be home in ten minutes."

"Use the siren." She cried, dropping the phone as her first contraction ripped through her and she barely noticed that she had hung up.

Olivia pulled some old towels out of the laundry and tried to mop up the mess she had made, tears running down her face. The door knocked a minute later and she struggled down the hall to let the intrusive person in.

"Liv, what's wrong?" Alex said, seeing her tear stained face.

"My water just broke." And the judge's jaw dropped, her daughter almost going the same way.

"Did you call Elliot?"

"He's on his way. Could… could you get my bag from the bedroom?"

"Yeah, of course." And she ran upstairs, returning a minute later with the bag Elliot had insisted on packing just two days earlier.

"Olivia?" came Elliot's voice just a minute later and she spun around to see her husband standing behind her.

"El." She cried, throwing her arms around him.

"Elliot, thank god. You need to get this woman to the hospital." She said, throwing the bag into his arms.

"Yep, I got it." He said, helping her outside and into the car. "Alex can you-"

"I'll stay here and clean up and then get your kids and bring them to the hospital."

"Thanks." Olivia said, wiping her face as Elliot closed the car door and ran around to the other.

"Good Luck!" Alex cried, Becca, bouncing on her hip and Elliot flicked on his siren, racing them towards Mt. Sinai.


	42. Chapter 43

"Hello, yes, my wife is in labour." Elliot said pulling into the emergency bay, a stray nurse spotting them and running around to get a wheelchair. "Any more contractions?"

"Not yet."

"OK, let's get you inside." He said as the nurse came back outside with the chair, just as she struggled out of the car.

"What's your name ma'am?" she said.

"Olivia… Stabler." She breathed as they hurried inside.

"And the name of your OBGYN?"

"Maggie Epps. Her number's in the bag El." And he fished out the business card, handing it to the receptionist.

"OK Mrs Stabler, we'll take you up to the maternity floor and have you admitted while your doctor gets here." The nurse said and they headed over to the elevator, hurrying inside.

Ten minutes later, Olivia was being helped into a bed, and IV fitted into her hand.

"I'm scared Elliot." She cried, as he sat down stroking her face,

"Hey, we're going to see our baby by tonight. Our son or daughter will be in your arms."

"Really?" she said, wiping her eyes and Elliot kissed the top of her head.

"We can do this together and then you'll have something you've always dreamed of. You can do this."

"I can." And she wrapped her arms around him, her embrace tightening after a minute as a second contraction ripped through her body.

"Olivia?" and she looked up half an hour later to see Maggie standing in the doorway.

"Hey." She smiled weakly and Elliot got off her bed to sit in the chair.

"What's going on here? You weren't due for another three weeks."

"I guess the baby has a mind of its own." Elliot said as Maggie manoeuvred his wife's feet into the supports to check her progress.

"I'd say you're already at about six centimetres."

"How? I've only had two contractions?" Olivia demanded and Maggie smiled.

"They must have started last night but you put it down to basic discomfort." She said, putting the blanket back down. You still have a few hours to go though."

"Hours?" she sighed, flopping back down on the bed.

"Yeah. You can call some of your friends and they can come meet you if you like."

"OK. Thanks Maggie." And nodding, she left the room.

"Are you alright Liv?" Elliot said a minute later as she suddenly clutched his hand. "Another contraction?" and she nodded, holding his hand tightly.

"Breath through it honey." He said and she nodded again, sweat pouring from her brow.

"Oh, why did you do this to me?" Olivia cried, wrenching her hand out of his.

"Don't worry; your mother said the same thing to me." Elliot's father said coming into the room, his wife close behind him.

"Alex March rang us. We came straight here." Ruth said, putting a glass of ice chips on the food tray for Olivia.

"Thank you." She said gratefully.

"Nice of you not to throw us out. Kathy kicked us out each time." Peter said and Olivia smiled weakly. "I moved your car by the way son. You of all people should know not to park in an emergency bay."

"How far are you?" Ruth asked, sitting on the side of the bed, handing her daughter-in-law some of the ice chips.

"Six centimetres and my contractions are every twenty minutes apart."

"Well, you're coming along quickly. If I didn't know any better, I'd say that you'll be in delivery by dinner time."

Elliot's parents stayed only another ten minutes, leaving once Olivia threw her water jug as pain ripped through her body and the nurses came running again. Apparently, Elliot found out, his children had arrived with Alex just at that moment and their normally loving step-mother had scared them back into the waiting room.

"What time is it?" Olivia asked breathlessly after yet another burst of pain.

"It's quarter past three."

"We've been here for five hours. How much longer?" she pleaded and Elliot kissed the top of her head.

"Ask Dr Maggie." And she looked up, seeing her friend come into the room.

"Did I hear you ask how much longer?" as Olivia put her feet in the supports again.

"Please, tell me you can either take me to delivery now or you can knock me out. I'm so exhausted."

"Come on Liv, I know you better than this." She said, sitting down at the end of the bed and beginning her examination. "Don't be giving up on me."

"I'm not. This is just – AHHH!"

"Don't worry, she's having another contraction." Maggie indicated to Elliot who had looked up worriedly as his wife screamed. "Olivia, we're going to go with your first request."

"What?" she said, not listening to anyone.

"I'm taking you to delivery. Ready to be a mom?" and tears of a different kind flooded her face.

"Huh?"

"Ten centimetres, fully effaced and ready to go. You are going to be a mother before dinner." And she called the nurses in, wheeling her out the door.

"Ready to do this?" Maggie asked, putting on a mask as Elliot sat up behind his wife.

"Get it out of me. Please Elliot; tell her to get it out." Olivia cried, grabbing his tie.

"Just a few minutes and it'll be out. Come on honey." And she nodded, releasing the choke hold she had on him and holding her knees as she had been instructed.

"Good Olivia." Maggie said as Elliot covered her hands with his own, making sure she stayed in the right position. "At the next contraction, you can start pushing." And she nodded, her sweaty hair falling over her face. Only seconds later, she started to push and Elliot's heart broke to hear her pain.

"You're doing so well honey." He said, pushing her hair off her face as she leaned back, resting against him.

"I don't want to do this any more Elliot. Please, you do it for me." And he smiled slightly, kissing the back of her neck.

"You know I would if I could." And she closed her eyes nodding slightly before the next wave hit her.

"Good Olivia. The head is out." Maggie said and Elliot smiled broadly. "One more push and you'll have your baby here in your arms." And she nodded wearily, screaming aloud as she felt as though she was torn in two.

"You did it honey." He said as Maggie held up the child for the new mother to see.

"Congratulations. It's a boy." And the nurse handed Elliot a pair of scissors.

"Did you want to cut the cord?" she asked making him nod and climb off the bed to do just that.

She blinked back the tears over the cries of the new born as they nurse handed her the babe. Olivia took her gratefully and bent down over her, her forehead resting gently against her son's, inhaling his sent just as a cat does to her kittens.

"You're really here." She said softly as they nurse draped a blanket over her arms, covering the child.

"Do you have a name for him?" Maggie said, smiling as she watched mother bond with her child.

"Not yet."

"Well, we'll just call him 'baby boy Stabler' for now. As soon as you have one, you can let nurse know and we'll record it. Congratulations, both of you."

"Olivia, we need to clean him up and get you back to your room." The nurse said, taking her son and handing him to the paediatrician.

"I'll go tell everyone and meet you both back in the room, OK?"

"Hurry back?" and nodding, he took off the mask, running out into the waiting room.


	43. Chapter 44

"A boy." Elliot smiled as he walked into the waiting room where his parents, children, Alex, Casey and Cragen were waiting and there was a tumult of cheers. "You guys have a little brother." He said, walking over to his children and embracing them, giving Dickie and extra squeeze. "Finally someone to play play-station with."

"Congratulations." Don said, as Elliot stood up to shake his hand, Casey and Alex, hugging each other in the absence of their friend.

"Does he have a name yet?" Peter asked but Elliot shook his head.

"Olivia is exhausted and I promised I'd go back to her." He said, looking over his shoulder in the direction of her room.

"You know what, we'll all go for dinner and come back and meet the little guy later. They'll both be so tired." Alex said, the other adults nodding in agreement, getting up to head to the lift.

"Can't we come dad?" Maureen asked desperately and Elliot looked to his mother.

"We'll just be in the cafeteria. Send them down when you're done." And the three kids jumped excitedly.

"Please, keep your voices down." Elliot said once they were outside the room. "Olivia is exhausted and I doubt the baby is any more alert."

"Fine." Kathleen said and she pushed past her father, opening the door to the room.

Olivia was sitting up in her bed, cradling her son in his arms, the soft blue blanket falling in folds over her arms.

"They're here for five minutes, and then they're going downstairs for a couple of hours with everyone else so you can get some rest." Elliot said, pre-empting any argument.

"He's so small." Kathleen said as the three of them advanced on the bed.

"He's adorable." Maureen countered, the two girls cooing over the child.

"He's really cute." Dickie agreed as the baby yawned, his finger wrapping around Olivia's. Elliot smiled watching his older children fawning over his newest and pulled the camera off the bedside table and took a photo of his wife and son.

"Here, take the camera downstairs to show everyone, but they both need to sleep." He said, handing Maureen the camera, at which point she immediately snapped more close ups of the baby. "Come on guys, let them sleep." And he practically dragged them away, shooing them out the door.

"They just wanted to see him." Olivia smiled, tearing her eyes away from her son to look at his father.

"But I wanted the first hold apart from you." He smiled, and she laughed, handing the boy to him. "What do you think we should call him?"

"I don't know. We should have made a list earlier on."

"Well, we did think we had another three weeks to plan this." And Olivia smiled, wincing slightly as she tried to sit up straighter.

"How about… Elliot?" she said, sighing lazily.

"You couldn't handle two of us honey. Maybe Darcy?"

"A middle name maybe, but I'm not crazy about it."

"Traditional or unconventional names?" he asked and she rolled her eyes at him.

"I've never thought that parents who name their kids 'Gumdrop' or 'Fajita' had a head on their shoulders."

"Traditional then. What about James?" and Olivia looked at the boy.

"He looks like a James. James Stabler." And she kissed his forehead as though sealing the name in.

"You pick a middle name." he said, cradling his son.

"I wouldn't mind giving him my grandfather's name – Noah." And Elliot nodded.

"James Noah Stabler. Welcome to the world."

"We named him James." Olivia said as the nurse handed him back to her a few hours later after they had changed him, the entire congregation from the cafeteria now in the room.

"That's so cute – James Stabler." Casey said and the rest of them nodded in agreement.

"Can I have a hold?" Ruth asked and Olivia nodded, handing the boy to his grand-mother. "You look just like this when you were born Dickie." And he blushed at the thought of being so small.

"We rearranged your baby shower." Alex said, sitting at the foot of the bed. "It will be a welcome home party instead and at least now people know to buy blue."

"Tired?" Don asked and Olivia nodded, sinking back into her bed.

"He looks just like you Elliot." Casey said, gazing at the baby in its grandmother's arms.

"She's right dad." Kathleen said, playing with the small blue hat that the nurses had put on him.

For over an hour James was passed from friend to family and Olivia, unbeknownst to anyone except Elliot, fell asleep.

"Guys?" he said after a minute and they looked up at him. "Liv's asleep. Do you think you could give her some quiet?"

"Right, sure." And Don handed the baby to his father. "Come on guys. Elliot, do you want me to take these kids home?"

"Mom and dad actually said they'd stay at our house till we get home." He said, looking over at his parents who nodded.

"Come on. We'll bring you back tomorrow after school." And the children reluctantly followed their grand parents out of the room.

"I should get back to the precinct; make sure Munch hasn't destroyed everything." Don said standing up and pulling his coat on.

"I'll come and see you tomorrow too. First thing." Alex said, checking her watch, knowing she had to go to relieve the babysitter.

"Same here. I'll come by after court." Casey added, the two of them leaving the room leaving Elliot alone with his sleeping companions.

"I saw everyone leave. I thought this might be a good time to teach Olivia how to feed." Maggie said coming back in a minute or so later. "Seems we'll have to wait though."

"I can wake her up, other wise she'll be asleep for hours." And he handed the boy to Maggie sitting down on the bed, gently shaking his wife. "Liv, Olivia honey. Wake up." And she groaned shielding her eyes from the light. "Come on Liv, James's hungry." And at the mention of her son, her eyes snapped open.

"Where is he?" and Elliot moved aside so she could see Maggie holding him.

"James?" She said, handing him back to her.

"Yeah, we found a name. James Noah Stabler." Elliot said, kissing the top of Olivia's head.

"It suits him." She said, opening the front of Olivia's gown so she could show her how to feed him.

She gasped as he made contact with her breast sucking as if he automatically knew what to do and Elliot glanced over at her, seeing once again the image of the Madonna in her.

"Looks like you don't need any help. He seems to be a natural." Maggie said sitting on the end of the bed.

"This feels so bizarre." She said, not taking her eyes off the boy.

"It will get better." Maggie said, squeezing her leg as Elliot smiled. "You did really well earlier. You should be proud."

"It felt as though he was a lot bigger than he is." She said, shaking her head and her onlookers both laughed.

Maggie left a few minutes later and Elliot took her place at the end of the bed.

"She's right. You should be so proud of yourself."

"He's here." she smiled, not listening to a word he said. "He's actually here."

"We made that honey." And he kissed her lightly, savouring the flavour of her lips.

"We've got two of each now." Olivia grinned, stroking the tuft of black hair on the top of his head.

"Beginnings of a Brady bunch?" and she laughed softly, the thought of the large family she had always wanted becoming clearer and clearer.


	44. Chapter 45

That Sunday, three days later, Olivia was let out of the hospital and as Elliot opened the door they saw the baby shower Alex had promised. 'Welcome James!' was painted on a large banner that hung from the stairs.

"Hey, Dickie, still want to go to that movie?" Elliot asked and the boy nodded, the two men turning around heading back to the car as Olivia and the girls walked inside with the baby.

"You didn't have to do this Alex." Olivia said, sitting down in the soft armchair with only a slight wince.

"I wanted to." The judge said, handing a sleeping Becca to Maureen who was holding out her hands for her.

"Congratulations Olivia, he's beautiful." Melinda said and she looked up to see Warner standing there. Gazing around the room she could see most of her friends standing there, all of them fixated on the baby, and she smiled.

"Thank you." She said softly, stifling a yawn.

"Don't worry, we'll all be gone within the hour so you can get some sleep."

"Yeah, and there's a piled of stuff there for your girls to go through and coo over." Casey said, putting her own gift on the pile, and Olivia smiled, hearing Elliot's kids being referred to as her own.

For the next hour, they passed James around the room and he woke up after a while, necessitating Olivia to take back her son to feed him.

"We'll go Liv," Alex said, gesturing to all the other women and taking her daughter from Kathleen. "Let you both get some sleep."

"Bye!" came a mangle of voices as the procession walked out the door and Maureen closed it behind them, turning back to her sister and step-mother who were sitting on the couch with the baby.

"What's it like to feed him like that?" Kathleen asked as James hungrily fed from Olivia's breast.

"It's a little weird – like nothing I've ever felt before." She smiled as Maureen walked over to the tower of gifts.

"Can we open these for you while dad and Dickie are still at the movies?"

"Go for it." She smiled and they began tearing off paper, ohing and awing at the varying levels of cuteness.

"I'm going to put him to bed and get some sleep myself. Can you girls put all the paper in the bin when you're finished?" and they nodded, watching as Olivia re-buttoned her blouse and climbed the stairs with her son. She opened the door to James's room, and smiled as she saw the soft green room, seeing it as a purposeful room for the first time.

"Time for sleep little one." She smiled, sitting down in the chair and rocking slightly, patting him on the back, just as Elliot came silently into the room.

"How are you feeling?" he said, kneeling down beside the rocking chair and kissing the top of James's head before laying his lips against Olivia's.

"I'm not sure how to get him to sleep. In the hospital, he just drifted off." She said, anxiously, rubbing circles on his back.

"Kathy used to sing to the others, but every mother does something different. But look." And she looked down seeing that his eyes were closed, his breathing even.

Elliot took him from her and laid James down in the crib, pulling the blanket up over his newborn son. "Come on honey – you're tired too." And turning the baby monitor on for the first time, he led her into their room and turned the blankets down. She wearily climbed in and Elliot pulled the covers up, kissing her forehead. "I love you Liv."

"Love you too." She said, closing her eyes and he turned the light out walking back downstairs.

Elliot's three older children were sitting in the living room, Dickie watching TV and the girls still moving through the pile of gifts.

"Dad, what's this?" Maureen asked, holding up a breast pump and he shifted uncomfortably.

"I'll tell you when you're older." He said and the girls rolled her eyes. "What time is it?"

"Nearly eight." Kathleen said, checking her watch.

"Right. Dickie – the game's on." And the young boy smiled, flicking the channels, his sisters groaning. "Don't worry – you're all going to bed in half an hour any way. It's been a long day and you have school in the morning."

"Do we have to go to school tomorrow dad? Can't we stay with Olivia and James?" Maureen asked hopefully.

"Absolutely not… but you'll be able to tell all your friends about your new baby brother." And Kathleen stood up, wrapping her arms around her father.

"Can we take some of the photos in?" and he nodded, his younger daughter squealing and running to get them from the kitchen.

He sent them up to bed an hour later, deciding that the hour would be a good bonding session between him and his older children. Walking up the stairs, Elliot detoured into his new son's room, opening the door and seeing his tiny chest rising and falling. His heart swelled at the sight, never having thought that he would have any more children after his twins and he closed the door, not wanting to wake the infant, heading to his and Olivia's room, opening the door. She was fast asleep atop the covers, not even having the energy to change into some pyjamas or turn the sheets back.

Elliot began to pull her blouse and jeans off, knowing she couldn't possibly be comfortable and pulled a nightgown over her head, picking her up momentarily to turn the sheets down.

"Mmmm." She mumbled as he pulled the blanket over her body.

"It's all OK honey. James is still sleeping; I just put you under the covers."

"What time is it?" she said, rolling over to see him climb in beside her.

"A little after nine. Go back to sleep, you're still exhausted Liv." And she nodded, not having the energy to argue, closing her eyes and curling herself against her husband's body.

A month later Elliot walked home smiling broadly and ran straight upstairs to see Olivia feeding their son in his room.

"Hey." Olivia said lazily, looking up at him and receiving his deep kiss. "Wow – you're excited."

"I have news." And he knelt down beside her, kissing the top of Jamie's head.

"What is it?"

"Do you remember when Don came round for dinner the other day and he said he was offered that seat on the Morris Commission?"

"Yeah." She said cautiously, wondering where he was going.

"He offered me his job." He said and Olivia smiled widely, pulling him into another kiss.

"Captain Stabler." She smiled as Elliot took Jamie from her so she could re-button her shirt, patting him on the back. "Are you accepting it?"

"I wanted to talk with you first. I'd be your captain when you came back."

"Take it honey." She said beaming.

"Are you sure?"

"Take the post – you've earned it." And he grinned, giving her a one armed hug, balancing their son between them.

"Are you going to call Don and let him know?" she said taking Jamie back and walking downstairs where Maureen and Dickie were watching TV and Kathleen was draped over a chair, talking to one of her friends on the phone. Elliot rolled her eyes at the sight and pulled his cell from his belt, walking into the kitchen.

"Maureen, can you take him please while I start dinner?" Olivia said and she handed Jamie over to his sister before following her husband.

"Yeah… thanks Don… yeah I talked to her… she's here, hold on." And Elliot handed the phone over to her.

"Hey Captain." She said, putting the phone against her ear while pulling out food for dinner.

"I'm not your captain any more." Don said as Elliot took a zucchini from her and began to cut it up. "You husband is."

"It means a lot to him you know."

"Elliot's earned the position and he'll do well there."

"Are you still coming around for dinner next week?" she said as Elliot took the tomatoes from her, cutting them up as well.

"I'll be there. And tell Elliot that he starts tomorrow afternoon."

"OK." And he hung up, the noise of the precinct having picked up.

"What am I making by the way?" Elliot said as he started cutting carrots and Olivia handed his cell back.

"Bolognaise sauce. Let me." And she took the knife, taking over. "He said you start tomorrow."

"Yeah – the morning he's got to go through all the classified material with me before I can actually take the reins." And Olivia smiled, tossing the vegetables into the pot on the stove, pulling out the meat and stock.

"You're my captain then." She grinned and he slapped her but lightly, making her squeal softly. "Go tell your kids. When you're finished, dinner should be ready." And he walked out of the kitchen, back to his children in the lounge.

"Kathleen, get off the phone – you can ring her back later." Elliot said taking the phone, his young daughter grabbing for it.

"In a minute – yeah, Dad wants to talk to me. I'll call you back soon – Kay?" and Elliot hung up the phone for her. "Dad!"

"I have something to tell all of you."

"What?" Dickie said, his eyes not turning from the TV. Elliot grabbed the remote and turned it off, sitting on the floor, Maureen putting Jamie up against her shoulder as he started to fall asleep.

"I got promoted." He said smiling and his children grinned. "I'm a captain now."

"Wow dad!" Kathleen said swinging her legs around to hug him.

"Are you Captain of homicide or back to SVU?" Maureen asked.

"Back to SVU." He said and the smiles were wide – all bar Maureen's. "Mo?"

"Can I talk to you about something for a minute?" and he nodded, following her out into the garden, cradling Jamie close to her chest against the cold March air.

"What's wrong?" he said, putting his arm around her as they sat on the swing.

"I don't know if it was because of Olivia, or because you left the unit, but you've been a lot happier since you left there. I'm not a kid anymore and I know that working there would eat you up."

"Do you know why it was so bad before?" and she shook her head. "While I was married to your mother, I could never explain to her the horrors of the things I saw – I would talk to Liv about it because she saw them too. I will never talk to you or Kathleen or Dickie about what I see, but since Liv has seen them too, I'm not afraid to talk to her about it all, so it won't eat me away."

"If your sure Daddy." She said and he nodded, taking his son and taking him back inside.

"I am – don't you have SAT's prep though?" and she nodded, running upstairs to her room to study."

"I told them." Elliot said walking back into the kitchen where she was putting pasta in the saucepan.

"Maureen was a bit worried – wasn't she?"

"A little. She just remembers me being self destructive while I was there before, but I told her that I have someone to talk to about it at home – you."

"Partners for six years, together for two years, married for one with four beautiful children."

"And like I told Mo – you know everything about the unit and have seen the worst people are capable. We have each other to talk to about this." He said, kissing the back of her neck as she stirred the saucepan's contents.

"Taste?" she said holding up the spoon and he took at taste, smiling. "Does it need anything more?"

"No. I'll get the kids to set the table." And he called out, Maureen the only one to come to do the job.

"Is Jamie asleep?" and Elliot nodded.

"I'll put him in bed then we can eat." And he walked up the stairs, laying his son gently down in the crib, picking up the monitor before walking back down stairs.

"He's asleep?" she said Elliot nodded, taking the plate from her and kissing her lightly, joining his kids at the table.

"So – any of you guys have news from school?" he asked as Olivia sat down beside him. "Dickie?"

"Nothing dad. Oh, except Mark Jacobs is having a party tomorrow night. Can I go?"

"We'll see." He said, passing Olivia the salad.

"How about you Kathleen?" she said, feeling Elliot's hand creep around her back, his thumb dipping into the back of her pants and she fidgeted.

"I have a test tomorrow." She said shrugging, shovelling pasta into her mouth and Olivia looked around the table.

She loved the normality of her family here – all aspects of it. The fights she had with Maureen and Kathleen about their curfew and the shopping trips they would take together on Thursday afternoons. The nights she would spend with Dickie helping him with his French homework – something Elliot could never help with, and listening to him energetically talk about how he tried to ask out a girl he liked in his class. She mourned together with her family when they remembered Liz and Kathy and lead the jubilation when they watched Jamie reach developmental milestones. She had what she had wanted for years now – a family with the white picket fence.

"Liv?" Elliot said and she shook her head slightly, noticing that the three kids had cleared the table and disappeared.

"Sorry, I must have spaced out." She smiled and he traced a few small circled in the small of her back.

"Kids are doing their home work. What do you think about this party Dickie wants to go to tomorrow?"

"Where is it?" she said.

"At one of his friend's houses."

"If his parents are there, he can go." She smiled and Elliot nodded, picking her up and carrying her up to their room and laying her down on the bed.

"You're tired honey." He said and kissed her lightly, lying down beside her.

"Jamie wouldn't sleep very long today during his naps so I never got any sleep." She said, closing her eyes, exhaustion overcoming her.

"You go to sleep then. I'll get him when he wakes up and put him back down before I come to bed."

"You sure?" she said and he kissed her forehead, pulling the blanket up over her shoulders.

"Get some sleep." And he took the baby monitor down stairs where his children were working at the table.

"Hey dad, can Liv help me with my French homework?"

"She's asleep – Jamie didn't give her much over the past couple of days. She can help you tomorrow."

"But it's due tomorrow." He said in protest and Elliot rolled his eyes.

"Mo, you're learning French, aren't you?" he said and she nodded, looking up from her paper. "Help your brother." And she sighed, holding out her hand. "What?"

"Well, when I help out his class mates, I get $10 an hour."

"Family duties." He said and Maureen turned to her brother, the foreign language filling the kitchen.

Four hours later, a late night feeding for James, the finale of the homework marathon and the last twenty minutes of American Idol and the four Stabler children were asleep in their beds and Elliot had just turned off the last of the news and wearily climbed the stairs to his wife and sleep. He turned his side of the bed down and found Olivia's hand already resting on his side where it would usually be against his chest as though feeling for his heartbeat. He slid under the sheets and took her hand in his, instinctively drawing her closer and she smiled in her sleep as though having realised that he was there next to her.

"I love you honey." He breathed into her ear.

"Love you too." She replied instantly though Elliot was sure she hadn't woken up.


	45. Chapter 46

Three years later.

"Captain." Olivia said smiling, walking into the office and she sat down on the edge of the desk as he closed the door and walked back over to her. He placed a firm kiss on her lips which she enthusiastically responded to.

"I love it when you call me that." Elliot said and she grabbed his tie, pulling him back down. "Jamie at day-care?"

"Yeah and Mo is going to pick him up for us after school – she's staying for dinner."

"She is? I though she had an assignment so she was staying in the dorms."

"I asked her to stay." Olivia said.

"Why? I mean, I love it when the kids come round but why today?"

"Because I asked her." She said. "I'm pregnant again."

"Really? Wow!" and he kissed her, practically lifting her off the table. "When? How? How far?" and Olivia rolled her eyes.

"I'm pretty sure you know how." She said and visions of them rolling around atop his desk a bit over a month and a half ago when neither of them had the patience to try and find a condom. She still had faint bruises on her back from when he had thrown her down against the table.

"When are you due?" he said, hugging her tightly, his hands falling down to her flat stomach she was so proud of regaining as quick as she did after Jamie was born.

"November I think." She said and he ran his fingers through her hair, the elastic band falling out, holding her close.

"How is it I didn't notice this?" he asked.

"I haven't been sick like I was with Jamie but I was late and thought I better test myself."

"Wow… WOW!" and he kissed her yet again.

"Something going on?" Fin asked, opening the door, the couple breaking apart.

"Nothing – ah… Maureen just found out that she's just reached the top of her class at Hudson." Olivia said, smiling and Elliot squeezed her again.

"You've been tutoring her in all those languages – haven't you?" he asked and Olivia smiled wickedly.

"Donc? Est-ce que tu as un problème si j'aide ma fille avec ses études ? Est-ce que cette le plus grande problème mondial ? Je ne peux pas trouver un raison que elle ne peut pas être le mielleux élevée dans sa classe ? Tu es un petit peut… trop légal. "

"What did she say?" Fin asked, looking over at his now Captain who shrugged his shoulders.

"Beats me. I'm sure she and Maureen talk about me behind my back." And he sighed walking out the door.

"Liv?" Elliot said, kissing her lightly again, holding her hands.

"El…" she smiled back and he hugged her.

"Wow." He said again.

"Yeah, well, I was coming in here to see my captain to see if he would let me go and see my doctor before we tell the kids later tonight. Do you think he'll give me the time off?"

"Get your coat." And he led her out of the office. "Munch – you're in charge – back in an hour." And they walked out together.

"God I hope they're not escaping to have sex. It was bad enough when we caught them coming out of his office a month ago." Fin said and they laughed, turning back to work.

"Hey Maggie." Olivia said walking into her OB/GYN's office and her friend smiled, hugging her tightly.

"My dear Olivia! How are you!" she said, her greying hair flying out from behind her as she ran around the counter to hug her.

"I'm good. Jamie's great." She smiled as Maggie released her to give the same vice grip to Elliot. "I'm pretty sure I'm pregnant again." And she squealed, the waiting room looking up at the neurotic doctor.

"Oh my God! Come with me!" and they followed her into his office.

"You know the drill Olivia – lay down and pull your shirt up." She said gesturing to the table and she smiled, Elliot sitting down on the chair beside the bench as she did as she was told.

"Remember its cold." Maggie said.

"Oh I remember." She said, wincing a little as the cold gel hit her stomach and Maggie moved the ultrasound over her stomach. "Was my EPT right?"

"Yeah – it was right." She said smiling and Elliot kissed her deeply. "Three months."

"Three?" Olivia said breaking apart, looking at the screen. "I thought I was only about a month and a half."

"You must have still gotten your period when you fell pregnant." She said and Olivia sat up looking at the screen again. "Here." And she printed off a picture which Olivia stowed in her purse.

"When's it due then?" Elliot asked as his wife wiped her stomach clear and sat up.

"I'd say the end of September." She said and hugged her from behind as she stood up, still looking at the screen.

"Thanks Maggie." Olivia said and she pulled her jacket back on as her friend started writing a chart up.

"No worried. Congratulations too." And she waved them out of her office, stopping only to make them another appointment for later.

"You know what Liv; I think that your Captain will give you the rest of the day off if you want it." Elliot said as she climbed into the passenger seat of their car.

"I don't need it." She said, kissing his cheek as he pulled away from the curve. "So we'll have another baby by September."

"We will." He said, checking his watch. "You know, it's three thirty – Dickie and Kathleen are getting out of school and Mo will be on her way in an hour. Let's pick up Jamie and go home together. Tell them."

"OK then – as long as my captain is doing the same." She said. "I'll ring Mo and let her know." And they turned in the direction of the day care.

"Mommy!" Jamie cried running over to Olivia and she scooped him up in his arms as his preschool teacher followed him to the door.

"Hey Michelle." She said, signing the book to say that she had collected her son. "Was he good today?"

"He was alright. Today he learnt why we don't throw sand." And Olivia smiled.

"Hey, could you get me a waiting list form?" and the teacher eyed her suspiciously. "Elliot and I found out today that were expecting again. We're going to tell the kids tonight so use big words so that Jamie can't understand." And she nodded, finding the form and handing it to her. "Thanks."

"Congratulations Mrs Stabler."

"Please call me Olivia." And she put Jamie down to find his shoes.

That night as they ploughed their way through the Chinese food, Elliot couldn't help but see the parallels between now and when they told their older children about when Liv was pregnant with Jamie.

"How's college going?" he asked Maureen and she shrugged, preferring the well cooked food too much after a week of dorm surprises.

"Good." And she popped another egg roll into her mouth.

"You know I have something to tell you all." Olivia said after they had all thoroughly indulged in food.

"What?" Dickie said, and she pulled Jamie onto her lap.

"I'm going to have another baby." She said and the sudden silence quickly escalated to a deafening roar.

"What is it mommy?" Jamie asked and Olivia looked down at her son.

"Mommy is going to have another baby. It's growing in my tummy and later, you'll have a brother or sister to play with." And he smiled, Elliot practically seeing that he was deciding which toys to share.

"When?" Kathleen said as the table smiled.

"The end of September – just after you start college." Elliot said and Olivia pulled the sonogram picture out of her purse which was hanging on the back of her chair.

"Here." She said and she put the photo next to the fried rice.

"Three months then?" Maureen said and she nodded. "Congratulations." And they all started talking about the child to be.


	46. Chapter 47

The next day, Elliot knew that he and Olivia had to explain their actions yesterday afternoon to their colleagues and he stood beside her wife as their friends gathered in the bull pen.

"Does this have something to do with yesterday when you guys snuck out?" Fin asked and Olivia nodded, perched on the corner of her desk.

"Not what you were thinking though." Olivia said and he went red.

"So are you going to tell us?" Casey demanded as she and Alex pushed their way through the crowd.

"I'm pregnant again." Olivia said and though the noise was loud – their family was louder.

"When?" Alex cried over the noise.

"End of September." Elliot called over the noise as various people were coming up hugging Olivia and shaking Elliot's hand. After a few minutes, Elliot pulled Olivia into his arms, calling out that everyone should get back to work but the ADA's pulled her away.

"You're going to have another baby on your birthday then?" Casey said and she nodded, pulling out the sonogram picture and handing it to them.

"Congratulations." Alex said giving her a tight hug and Olivia beamed back.

"So what do you think you'll have? You've got two of each now." Casey said and she laughed.

"I don't know. Do you want to come with me over to 1PP though? I wanted to tell Don in person."

"Sure." Alex said but Casey shook her head.

"I can't – I'm due in court soon." She pouted.

"Well, we'll do lunch sometime this week – the three of us. You have to tell us what's going on with that boyfriend of yours." Olivia said and she frowned, walking away as Alex and Olivia headed to her car to drive over to the building.

"Oh Alex, can I steal you a minute?" a fellow ADA said as they reached the building and she nodded, peeling away as Olivia reached Don's office. She knocked on the door, opening it and smiling as she walked in.

"Olivia!" Don said, putting the file down and giving her a hug.

"How are you Don?" she asked as he released her and they sat down on his couch.

"Getting old. Are we still good for dinner on Thursday?"

"Of course but I needed to tell you something before then because it will get around fast."

"Oh, what is it?"

"I'm pregnant again Don. You're going to have another grandchild." And he smiled widely, pulling her into another hug.

"Congratulations." He said, kissing her cheek and she blushed lightly.

"Three months along. It's due at the end of September."

"Around your birthday then." He said and she laughed.

"That's what Casey said. It would be a good birthday present then." And she showed him the picture.

"Do you know if it's a girl or a boy?" he said and she shook her head.

"We'll do the same as we did last time – find out when he or she is born. But even so, they wouldn't be able to tell me for two months." They started chatting easily about Jamie and the next child in the Stabler family and the older children that Olivia and Elliot were proudly raising. An hour later Olivia met back up with Alex and the two women were driving back over to the station house.


	47. Chapter 48

Olivia decided to collect Jamie on her way back to the station a few weeks later as she knew collection time had started twenty minutes prior.

"Hey, did your mommy tell you that she is having a baby?" Alex said and the young boy nodded from the back seat.

"Mommy said that… that I can play."

"With the baby?" she asked and he nodded again, smiling from his car seat as they pulled into the station.

"Come on honey – let's go see daddy." Olivia said parking and unbuckling his restraints.

James ran towards his father at the same pace as his mother and her friend were walking in to be picked up by his father and kissed on the cheek.

"What did Don say?" Elliot asked once Alex had peeled away and Jamie had his attention needs sated.

"He was thrilled for us." She said, pulling some of Jamie's toys out of her hand bag as Elliot put his son down, sending him over to the couch to play with said instruments of amusement.

"You know, you're glowing honey – you're beautiful."

"Wasn't I like this when I was pregnant with Jamie?" she asked, giving him a sly look.

"You're beautiful all the time." And he kissed her lightly, their son making 'icky' noises from the corner.

"Are you coming home soon? You said you'd be home early." Olivia asked, picking Jamie up twenty minutes later.

"I'll try." Elliot said and she frowned.

"You've missed dinner every night this week and I know it's because you've cut up your own vacation time to make sure I can be home with our kids… but it would be nice if you could get home tonight. They miss you."

"I'll do my best." He said and she nodded.

"That's all I ask." And she kissed him again before taking her son back out to the car – stopping for another half hour while Fin, Munch and Mike showed him how hand cuffs worked.

"Hey Liv." Dickie said as she walked through the door forty minutes later, putting Jamie down to run over to his other toys.

"Hey – how was school?" Olivia asked, putting her bag down – grateful to see that someone in the house had remembered to put the coffee on.

"School was ok. Is dad coming home soon?"

"Hopefully – I gave him an ultimatum. Why do you ask?"

"I just wanted him to throw a football around with me for a bit. I'm thinking of trying out for the team next year."

"Give him a call and ask – he might get home sooner." And he smiled, walking out of the kitchen to find the phone as she opened the fridge to start putting together some dinner.

"Hey – what are you doing here?" Olivia asked as Maureen walked through the door.

"I got sick of eating nothing but crackers and whipped cream." She said, putting her back pack down as her little brother ran over for a hug. "Hey Jamie!"

"Momo!" he cried as she picked him up, turning back to her step-mother. Maureen loved the nick name he had given her which had been derived from the fact that he couldn't pronounce Maureen. He couldn't pronounce Kathleen either so she had the affectionate name of "Kattie".

"Are you showing yet?" Maureen asked as Olivia put a few kebabs on a pan on the stove.

"A little." She said smiling, turning on her side so that her step daughter could see her slight bump. "Hey – how's that boyfriend of your's going… going to tell your father soon?"

"Maybe when I'm like thirty." She laughed. "Tony's great though. I thought maybe I could invite him over and introduce him to dad."

"So you're going to tell him?" Olivia asked as Maureen put Jamie down, letting him run and get a picture he drew to show them.

"We've been dating for eight months now. I think I probably should."

"Well good for you. I'll make sure your dad doesn't flip out – you get Tony to take his eyebrow piercing before you come round."

"Deal." She said as she turned the kebabs, the pan hissing.

"Hey – Dickie, grab your ball!" Came Elliot's voice an hour later as the door slammed, his footsteps headed towards the kitchen and a second pair of foot steps thundered down the stairs. "Hey honey." And he kissed his wife sweetly, before noticing his daughter. "When did you get here?"

"About an hour ago." She said, giving him a hug. "I'm staying for dinner."

"This will be ready in ten minutes, so throwing that ball around would probably be better later." Olivia said and he nodded, pulling his coat off and throwing it over the back of a chair.

"How's school?"

"It's good. I hate English Lit. though." Maureen said her brother came into the room with a ball.

"We're not throwing it around?"

"After dinner." His father said, and he shrugged putting it down on the table.

"Where's Kathleen?" Elliot asked after discussing Hudson for twenty minutes.

"In her room I think." Dickie said. "There are loud noises coming from her room any way."

"Can you go and get her for dinner?" Olivia asked and he nodded, running back upstairs, returning a moment later with the increasingly punk like teenager. "Thank you for getting home from work for dinner." She added as their kids ran to set the table.

"You we're right – I need to be home more." And he kissed her deeply, his hand trailing down to rest on her once again, growing stomach.

"Mmmm." She said, pulling back and putting the food on plates, handing Elliot Jamie's to cut it up. "But food is ready."


	48. Chapter 49

By July, Kathleen had graduated from high school and Dickie was about to celebrate yet another birthday without his sister – turning fourteen, Maureen had told her father about her boyfriend and after the first month of tense meetings, he had warmed to the guy once finding out that he could get him tickets to the knicks – his uncle being the coach. He came home one afternoon, home before Olivia for the first time in weeks and picked up Jamie, spinning around with him to the dulcet tones of the Wiggles.

"Dad can you turn that down please?" Kathleen asked, walking into the living room where he was spending time with his son.

"Why? You're not studying – school's out." He smiled and she rolled her eyes, walking over to the stereo and turning it off. "You know what buddy – go and play with your drum." And he put him down, the young boy running over to a corner.

"How about we get some ice-cream. Liv isn't going to be home for a couple of hours and I can't be bothered to make actual food." Elliot said, making his daughter smile.

"I'll get Mo and Dickie."

"I'll get the ice-cream and then we can fight over what movie to watch."

"What about Jamie?" his daughter asked and they looked over at the three year old.

"I'll make him a sandwich for dinner. His bed time is in half an hour any way." And she nodded, running up the stairs to fetch her siblings – Maureen having agreed to once again tutor her brother in French while their step-mother was absent.

By the time Olivia came home two hours later, she saw their 'deer caught in the headlights' look – guilty at the image of them eating ice-cream instead of dinner, a guilt that was quickly changed once she stole her husband's spoon.

"What are we watching?" she asked, sitting in the armchair, running her hands over her extensive seven month belly.

"Tomb Raider." Maureen said, not turning from the TV screen.

"Did you put Jamie in bed?" and Elliot nodded.

"And I did give him real food." He added as she stood up.

"I'll come back down in a minute." And she walked up the stairs to her son's room.

Olivia sat down on Jamie's bed as she reached his room and he stirred, opening his eyes.

"Hey sweetheart." She said as her son crawled out from the covers and gave her a hug. "Did I wake you up?" but he shook his head.

"I missed you mommy."

"Mommy missed you too." She said, kissing his brown hair – a shade which exactly matched his father's.

"Is the baby moving?" he asked curiously and she nodded, taking his small hand to rest over the spot and he squealed, withdrawing his hand quickly.

"Hey, do you want to read a story before you go back to sleep?" and he nodded, getting up to fetch a book as his mother turned on the light.

Fifteen minutes later, Jamie had fallen asleep half way through 'The Cat in the Hat' and Olivia tucked him back under his covers, heading back downstairs where the credits were rolling.

"OK guys – I'm going to bed." Elliot said, standing up and stretching. "I know it's vacation, but I want you to be in bed by eleven. I'll come down and check." And they nodded, Maureen quick to find the remote and change the channel.

"I got those documents finished for court tomorrow." Olivia said as the two of them walked back upstairs together. "Casey should be happy."

"Thanks honey for doing it. I would have stayed late with you too though."

"You needed time alone with your kids – all of them."

"So why did you keep one of them from me?" he asked as they reached the top of the stairs, putting his hands over her stomach and she smiled.

"You'll get to see it in two months." And yet he didn't let her go as they reached their bed room.

"You know, El, we need to talk about this little one's room. We can't keep putting it off."

"I think the only option we have is to put Mo and Kathleen in the same room – I mean they're both in college so it's only for vacation or the occasional night we ask them to be home."

"That's fair." Olivia said, pulling on a large nightgown before slipping between the sheets. "I hope they don't mind too much though."

"We don't have to move them for a while, but let's give them Maureen's room – it's bigger and a baby doesn't need as much room."

"Yeah." She sighed wearily, laying her head down on the pillow. Elliot turned her away from him and massaged her lower back.

"This baby is wearing you out worse that Jamie – isn't it."

"Yeah. It sits right on top of my bladder and moves away from there to press against my back."

"A child out to cause you pain. It has to be a daughter for a mother to worry over." And she rolled back to face him, smiling.

"We are not finding out until he or she is born."

"Rats." He said, kissing her forehead. "Sleep honey – you're exhausted." And he looked up again, seeing that in those brief seconds, she had fallen asleep.


	49. Chapter 50

Four weeks later on the last day of August, Maureen came home from the mall to see her Olivia on the couch, flipping through the cooking channels.

"What are you doing home?" they asked at the same time. "You first." Maureen said.

"Your dad sent me home when I couldn't get out of my chair without help. Told me I could start maternity leave – especially since I'm due in six weeks. How about you?"

"Collage doesn't start till tomorrow. You and dad both went in on a Sunday… remember? It's summer vacation."

"Oh right." She said. "I keep forgetting." She smiled, her hands resting on her belly.

"Is it moving?" and she nodded, Maureen sitting down beside her, moving her hands with Olivia's.

"What courses are you going to take this year?" Olivia asked, finally settling on watching an old version of 'The Wizard of Oz'.

"I've decided I want to go into journalism so lots of English, history, political science – the usual."

"Cool. I've got an ex boyfriend who was the editor for the business section of the New York Times. I'm still friends with him if you want to go for an internship or something." And she lit up.

"Does dad know about him?"

"He sat on a barstool next to me after we broke up." She smiled. "I think he was very happy."

"Course he was – look how you ended up." She smiled as Olivia fidgeted, trying to get comfortable.

"Is it really that bad?" Maureen asked, seeing her 'mother' squirm.

"As I told your dad – it's either sitting on my bladder or pressing against my spine."

"I'm going to guess that this is baby pressing against your back then?" and she nodded.

"Don't get pregnant if you value you're your back."

"I'll keep that in mind though I think dad want's grandkids one day."

"Give Dickie the job – he doesn't have to go through child birth." and they laughed. "Do you want to come with me to pick up Jamie?"

"Sure." Maureen said and she grabbed the car keys – knowing that Olivia would not fit behind the steering collum.

"Mommy!" Jamie cried, running over to Olivia as they reached the child care centre.

"Hey sweetheart." She said, bending down as she couldn't physically lift him into her arms, and kissed his cheek.

"Hey Jamie!" Maureen cried.

"Momo!" he cried, his sister picking him up in her arms.

"It's not long now is it Mrs Stabler." Michelle said smiling walking over to them.

"How many times do I have to tell you to call me 'Olivia'?"

"At least once more." She said, smiling at the woman. "And we got your waiting list forms. Baby unknown Stabler is on the list for when he or she is a year old, just like with Jamie."

"Thank you so much." She said while her son dragged his sister to show her the toy trucks.

"Are you sure you don't know what you're having?"

"I'm really sure. Elliot keeps asking if we can find out though. I won't let him."

"We'll how many more weeks do we have to wait to find out?"

"Assuming it doesn't come early, another twenty four days." She said resting her hand over the bump. "Do you mind if I use your bathroom though before I brave the car?"

"Go for it. Down the hall, last door on your right." And she smiled gratefully, waddling away.

Half an hour later the three of them got back home and Jamie had to show his mother all the drawings they had done that day, to see Kathleen, Dickie and Elliot waiting for them.

"Hey. You're home early." Olivia said kissing him.

"Well – know that you've been uncomfortable so I thought I could take you out to dinner tonight – try and make up for it." He said and she half smiled – half frowned, walking into the kitchen for some water.

"Elliot – I'm gross. I'm fat and bloated."

"Beautiful and glowing." He said, kissing her lightly. "I'm not taking you five stars with your cravings for anchovies at the moment. I thought we'd go to the diner ten minutes away where Deckle makes you what ever you want." And she smiled.

"Oh good – he doesn't care if I stuff my face." And she put her glass down, offering him her hand and they walked out the door.

"Do you think the baby will come early like Jamie did?" Olivia asked as they sat down at a table in the diner, Deckle getting them some drinks and a plate of fries.

"Well, if it inherits your impatience, then offcourse." He said, kissing her jaw.

"And if it inherits your stubbornness, then I'll be pregnant for the next twenty years." She shot back, digging into the fries.

"I love you." He said, pinching her fry and made its way to his mouth, before the look on her face changed his mind and he gave it back.

"Dangerous to steal the pregnant lady's food." She said.

They ate quietly, just revelling in the quiet night they had away from their brood, and yet, they both missed them by desert.

"Come on. We should get home before Kathleen and Mo kill each other from having to share the same room now." Elliot said, standing up and pulling her to her feet.

"Do you mind if we walk home – it might settle your child down." Olivia said, pulling her jacket on.

"Is it kicking you hard?" and she nodded.

"He or she is very uncomfortable at the moment. I swear, it's like its trying to kick my kidneys." And she took his hand, the two of them walking together on the familiar route home.

She stopped after a few blocks and sat down on a bus bench, groaning. "Are you Ok honey?"

"I'm tired and your baby is actively trying to kill me." She sighed, closing her eyes.

"Here." Elliot said and he scooped her up in his arms, carrying her home. Olivia smiled as he carried his wife the last four blocks.

"I love you." She whispered in his ear as he set her down on the front porch and she walked inside.

"We're home!" Elliot called, closing the door, Olivia having frozen just inside.

"And we're leaving again." She whispered turning back around, tears starting to fall down her face.

"Why?"

"My water just broke." And his eyes widened as large as saucers.

"Ah, Ok. We'll take your car and… MAUREEN!"

"What!" she cried from the top of the stairs, her father throwing his keys at hers.

"Go get our car, it at the diner – we're going to the hospital."

"Really?"

"No, it's a practice." Olivia hissed under her breath and the young girl thoughtfully threw the hospital bag over the railing.

"Meet us at the hospital in the morning – you're in charge." Elliot called and he grabbed his wife's purse, steering her back out the door. "It'll take after you after all." And she threw him a weak smile before her face contorted in pain.


	50. Chapter 51

They pulled up at the hospital in less than six minutes – a record in any New York traffic and Olivia climbed out of the car, clutching the underside of her stomach.

"Maggie?" she said, pulling out her phone and calling her friend.

"Hey Olivia – is this a chat or professional."

"Elliot and I are about to walk into Mercy. My water broke."

"Early again? Well, Ok – I'll be there soon. Get settled and put Elliot on." And Olivia handed him her phone as he sat her in a wheel chair, pushing her inside.

"Hello?" he asked.

"Elliot – how long has she been in labour."

"I don't know – we're only just getting inside now."

"Has Olivia been cramping or anything?"

"We went for dinner and she just thought that the baby was kicking her quite hard."

"So, couple of hours?"

"Give or take." He said as they met the ER clerk and he hung up the phone.

"I'm in labour." Olivia breathed as they stopped and a nurse took the wheelchair from Elliot, pushing it towards a room.

"Do you know when your contractions started?" she said, helping her into the bed – handing Elliot a chart to fill out personal details.

"No – it was just kicking me a lot but my water broke." She said as Elliot sat beside her, holding her hand.

"OK – I'll get the on call OB and he'll probably take you up to the maternity floor in a few moments."

"Her doctor is on her way too. Maggie Epps." He said, handing back the chart, having filled in all the details.

"OK then… Olivia. Hang tight and I'll get the doctor." And she nodded, squeezing Elliot's hand.

"This doesn't feel right Elliot. This is way too early." She fretted and he kissed her forehead sweetly.

"Hey – it will be fine. We're here now and they're going to look after both of you." And Olivia nodded, weakly as a middle aged man walked into the room. "Are you the doctor?"

"Yes – I'm the OB. Let's see what's going on." And he put her feet up in the supports checking the progress. "You said your water broke?" and she nodded. "You're only two centimetres dilated, so I'm going to admit you upstairs but I don't expect your baby to come within the next few hours."

"OK." Olivia said in a choked voice and Elliot put his arms around her, the doctor leaving to room to admit her.

"Like I said – they're going to take care of you." He said and Olivia nodded, resting her head on his shoulder.

"You should call the kids and tell them that we're going to be a while."

"I'll ring Mo. Tell her that they can come in the morning." He said as an orderly came in.

"Are you ready Mrs Stabler?" he said and she nodded, the young guy pulling her bed out from the wall and, Elliot walking behind them, headed up to OB.

Five hours later Olivia was definitely in labour, screaming as contractions ripped through her, clutching Elliot's hand so tightly that she might have broken a few bones.

"Ow!" he cried as she finally let his hand go and she threw him a scathing look.

"Would you like to swap places? Because this kid of yours is trying to tear me in two."

"I'm sorry honey." He said, kissing the top of her head and a few tears leaked out.

"Are you sure there's only one in there?" she asked as Maggie came back in – having arrived a few hours ago.

"There's only one." She smiled, feeling for progress.

"How much longer?" Elliot asked flexing his hand before it was needed for round two.

"A few hours still. I can write something up to get you to sleep for a while." And Olivia nodded.

"At least an hour would be good." And she wrote something on the chart before going out to the nurses.

"I'm sorry you're in so much pain honey." He said, wiping her sweaty brow.

"You are getting diaper duty and late night feedings for the first month." She cried, her back arching, her hand shooting out to grab Elliot's hand in pain.

"Here Olivia – put this on your face and you should be asleep in a few minutes." Maggie said walking back into the room with a mask. "It's a gas that will put you out for a couple of hours and when you wake up there should be a baby ready to walk out of you." And she nodded, her eyes drooping.

Within a few minutes, she was out for the count and one of the nurses thoughtfully strapped Elliot's hand.

"Did you and your wife choose names for your baby?"

"We only have a middle name if it's a girl; Elizabeth."

"That's beautiful. Who's it after?" The nurse asked.

"My ex wife and youngest daughter were killed in a car accident four years ago. Liz was my daughter."

"Oh, I'm so sorry." She said, putting his hand down.

"We've accepted it." He said softly, making a fist before relaxing his hand again, testing the joints again as the two of them walked back into Olivia's room, the nurse pulling off the mask.

Elliot sat down on the side of the bed, tucking her hair behind her ear and Olivia fidgeted, stirring.

"Honey?" he said and she opened her eyes, already shining with tears of pain.

"Did I get any sleep?"

"About four hours." He said, kissing her forehead lightly. "You having another contraction?" and she nodded.

"What was in that gas? This ones not that painful."

"I've no idea." Elliot said, the nurse having left to find Maggie.

"How are you feeling Olivia?" she said walking in and putting her feet up.

"I want it out of me!" She cried as Maggie put the sheet down and Elliot massaged her lower back.

"OK then – let's go."

"Huh?"

"Olivia – that sleep did you wonders – you are fully dilated and 100% effaced."

"Let's go then." Elliot said smiling, kissing the top of her head and she grabbed his collar.

"You are never getting me pregnant again." She hissed and they pulled her bed out of the room into delivery.

Two hours later, Olivia was screaming as Elliot sat behind her holding her as she pushed against him – their baby's head making the scene.

"One more for the shoulders and then you will see your baby." Maggie said smiling and Olivia collapsed against her husband, a new cry joining the room. "It's a girl." And she handed the baby to its mother.

"Well done honey." Elliot said, kissing the top of her head.

"Hey little one." She said, kissing the baby's forehead before Maggie took her back to clean and wrap her up.

"You we're amazing." He said, kissing her properly, as they looked over at their daughter.

"She's beautiful. But you are never getting me pregnant again."

"I don't think we can afford another mouth to feed – five kids are enough."

"You are not putting me through all this again." And he smiled as the nurse cleaned his wife up.

"I promise I won't." he said.

"I love you." She breathed and they brought their baby back over.

"You have a beautiful little girl there." Maggie said standing back.

"And you got the first person to meet her, like Jamie." Elliot said smiling at his wife's friend.

"Mandy is going to take you back to your room. I'll see you later." And she left them alone.

"Call the other kids." Olivia said as they reached her room again, still holding her daughter. "Let them know."

"Honey, its four in the morning." He said, kissing her forehead, sitting down on the side of the bed.

"Oh wow." She said, looking at his watch. "What should we name her though?"

"Hmmm. What do you like – I've already named three other girls… I'd just really like it if we could still use Elizabeth as her middle name though."

"I like Annabelle… or Isabelle…" she said, looking down at her porcelain face. "You choose."

"Isabelle. Isabelle Elizabeth Stabler." He said, taking his daughter. "It suits her." And she smiled, sinking back down deeper into her bed. "I'll look after her while you get some sleep." And she nodded gratefully, closing her eyes as he sat down in the chair beside her bed. He pulled his phone out of his pocket and the light turned on revealing that for the entire night – Maureen had called him on the hour, every hour.

"Dad?" Maureen asked as he rang the house and his daughter picked up the phone.

"Hey." He said wearily, still looking down at the pink blankets. "How many of you are still awake?"

"Just me – the others went to bed hours ago. How's Olivia?"

"She had a girl about half an hour ago." He said, running the back of his finger down her face.

"Oh my god – dad! Wow! We have a baby sister?"

"Isabelle Elizabeth Stabler." He said, playing with the name on his tongue.

"When can we come and see her? And Olivia – is she exhausted like after she had Jamie?"

"She fell asleep ten minutes ago and I don't think she'll wake up for a few hours, so you can come and see them both in the morning once your siblings wake up."

"So we'll be there by eight."

"Maureen, Kathleen and Dickie are not morning people."

"Yes but for a baby sister, they can make do with a caffeine fix, and Jamie will be awake in an hour and a half or so."

"OK, well, let Kathleen drive since you've been awake all night. See you in no earlier than three hours. Get some sleep."

"Bye dad." And she hung up the phone, Elliot just bathing in the presence of his new born daughter.


	51. Chapter 52

At nine that morning, Elliot had Jamie in his arms while his older children cooed over the new born and he walked out into the hall to call their friends. Olivia had woken up less than half an hour ago, immediately reaching for her little girl.

"Jamie – why don't you go back in to see your mommy and the others." He said, putting him down and the three year old ran back into the hospital room as his father pulled out his phone.

"Don?" he said as his captain answered the phone.

"Elliot what is it?" he said jovially, the squeaks of his chair as it reclined audible even over the phone.

"Olivia had a girl last night. We named her Isabelle." He smiled, knowing as this was one of many more calls. He spent ten minutes listening to congratulations from his former captain and a promise he would come down for lunch before he began to ring the others; his parents, Munch and Fin – who would be waiting at their desks for him to show up, and their ADA's who turned up at the hospital twenty minutes later.

"Hey, guys, don't school and college start today?" Elliot asked, pulling his kids out of the room once Alex and Casey had arrived.

"I think you can write me a note dad." Dickie said but he shook his head.

"I'll drop you off at school and they you two have to get to college. Thank god is all I can say when I remember we set your rooms up last week, but you have class."

"Dad!" Maureen whined but he shook his head.

"If I'm paying for college then you are going even today. Take a photo of Liv and Isabelle and show your professors. If they don't believe you, tell them to call me." And he directed them down to the car, Jamie staying with his mother.

"Was this time better or worse than James' birth?" Alex asked, holding Isabelle as she opened and closed her mouth.

"Worse – ten times worse and she's half the size."

"Well, you said that she was out to torture you, sitting on your bladder and back." Casey smiled.

"Well, I could almost swear she came out sideways – that's how much pain she put me through."

"She's beautiful though." Alex said, handing her back to her mother as she began to cry. "Judging by the fish faces she was making, I think she's hungry."

"Let's see." And she put her daughter to her breast to feed.

"Where did Elliot go?" Casey asked, looking around, noting that he hadn't come back in nearly half an hour.

"He took Dickie to school and dropped Mo and Katie off at Hudson. It's the first of September."

"Oh right – Kathleen's first day at college." She smiled, picking a very tired Jamie up so that he could sleep at the end of his mother's bed.

"Is any one here?" came a voice from the door and Don poked his head in smiling. "Congratulations Olivia." And he walked inside, kissing her cheek.

"Thanks." She said as the lawyers stood up, leaving.

"We'll come and see you later Liv – I've got court any way." Alex said and the two of them left the hospital.

"Elliot said that it's a little girl." He said, sitting down in the chair, looking over at his 'daughter'.

"We named her Isabelle Elizabeth." She smiled as the baby came up for air before latching back on. "You can have a hold once she's full." And he smiled.

"When was she born?" Don asked, producing a box of Olivia's favourite chocolates, putting them on her table.

"Some time early this morning – I don't know what time exactly. I was screaming too loud to reach for Elliot's watch." She smiled as Isabelle finished and Olivia laid her down on the bed, pulling her shirt back down. "Did you want to hold her?" and he nodded enthusiastically taking the baby as Elliot came back in the room.

"Hey Don." He said, sitting down on the edge of the bed, giving Olivia a kiss.

"She's a beautiful girl Elliot." He said, looking down at the child and El picked his sleeping son up. "Just like her mother." And Olivia smiled.

Olivia lay back as she watched Elliot and Don talk about the new born, closing her eyes. She really was the luckiest woman in the world – a loving husband, three gorgeous step children and two of her own. She had everything to live for – something that if anyone told her about five years ago that she would find herself married to her partner and best friend, with five children in her house. There had been tragedy in her life yes – but the sun now always shone through. She slid down the bed, dozing off and Elliot smiled, pulling the blanket up, letting her sleep.


	52. Chapter 53

Seven years later

Elliot stood in the doorway of the room and tears filled his eyes at the sight of Olivia pinning a veil in Kathleen's hair. His heart swelled with pride and he walked inside, his eyes still shining.

"You look gorgeous Katie." He said and the two heads whipped around to see him standing there with his now almost completely bald head.

"Thanks daddy." She smiled, standing up and giving him a hug.

"You do, you know. Your mother would be so proud of you today." Olivia said, bending down to straighten the skirt. "And Lachlan is a wonderful man."

"He is Katie. I actually like him." Elliot said and she smiled again.

"I know you like him daddy. You hired him." And he smiled, thinking back to when he hired that young detective to his unit – not knowing that a year later he would become his son-in-law.

"I'm going to go and check on the others." Olivia said as Elliot continued to marvel in his daughter's beauty, and she walked into the room next door of the hotel where Maureen, Dickie, James and Isabelle were talking.

"How's Katie?" Mo asked as she ran a brush through her little sister's hair, pulling it into place, cries of pain punctuating the conversation.

"She's really happy. Your dad is with her now. I think he's actually going to cry, he so proud of her at the moment."

"This is so exciting. Our sister is getting married. Then again there's a lot happening at the moment – isn't there." Dickie said, winking at his older sister who she had announced just a couple of days before that she was two months pregnant. Elliot was beside himself with pride. His eldest daughter had been married a year now and he now knew that his first grandchild was on its way and his second child was getting married in a couple of minutes.

"Mommy, can you do it for me?" Isabelle asked, worried that her sister was going to pull her hair out and she rolled her eyes, taking the brush and sitting her six year old back down and gently running it through her hair..

"Ok, let me look at all of you." Olivia said ten minutes later and they lined up against the wall. Maureen looked beautiful in her maid-of-honour dress, the green satin complimenting her skin nicely, beside her brothers in their tuxes. Dickie at twenty was still pouting that he couldn't drink at the reception and Jamie looked – though he wouldn't let his mother admit it – adorable, all dressed up. Isabelle was at the end of the line in a dress, the same colour as Mo but she loved the fact that it flared out when she spun and was consequently turning in circles. "Izzy," her mother warned and she stoped, only to nearly fall over. "OK, you all look great. Go next door and talk to your sister before we have to go down stairs." And they quickly ran to the next room.

Olivia sighed as she watched her kids disappear and a few seconds later, Elliot walked in and wrapped his arms around her.

"What did we do to get five amazing children?" he asked, resting her head on his shoulder – obviously still emotional with the news of his daughter getting married finally hitting home.

"If you figure it out, let me know." She said, lifting her head and kissing him delicately.

"My little girl is getting married Liv. My little girl."

"I know." She said, leading him over to the couch and sitting him beside her. "Hey – and you know Samantha and Dickie have been getting pretty serious, moving in together and everything. I don't think it will be long before you get to see down the isle." And he grimaced.

"I wish they could stay little for ever – all of them." And she smiled.

"Well, Izzy won't be getting married any time soon." She said and he smiled. "I guess I better get the rest of our kids and you have to take Katie to the end of the isle."

"I don't want to Liv."

"Go and get her – it's time for Katie to start her own journey, just like you did with Mo last year. It's her turn." And he stood up, resigning to the fact that at fifty two, his first child was getting married.

Olivia sat down at the front of the church beside her in-laws and Ruth gave her a brief hug.

"You've done a wonderful job my dear – raising these kids in Kathy's absence."

"I did what I could but it's your son you should be congratulating. Then again, he's ready to pass out at the thought of Kathleen getting married, even though he's already done this once." She smiled as the music began to play and Olivia threw an encouraging look over to Lachlan who was just as nervous as Elliot. Isabelle walked down with Jamie, throwing a basked of flowers around unevenly and they sat down beside their mother once they reached the end of the isle. Maureen came down next, Dickie having already stood up beside the groom and as she stood at the alter, waiting for their older sister.

Olivia watched proudly as Elliot walked his little girl down the isle and she could see that his tears were no longer trapped in his head but streaming down his face.

"Who gives this woman to be wed?" the pastor asked and he coughed out his response of 'I do'.

"Well done El." Olivia said, feeding his fingers into her hand.

"She's not a little girl any more." He said, pulling his hankie out of his pocket to dry his face, smiling as they sat down to watch the next chapter of life.


End file.
